On the afternoon of February 28, two employees of a private company operating the only municipal ambulance in Oropos arrived at the home of a 69-year-old woman to take her to the hospital. From the apartment, she was lowered into the pilothouse of the apartment building where she lives and washed with a hose while she was naked. A few days later, a photograph of the above-mentioned incident was circulated on social media, causing public outrage and prompting a series of administrative procedures. Oropou Mayor Giorgos Giasimakis learned of the incident on Sunday via social media and immediately called the private company in charge of running the ambulance in an attempt to confirm whether the incident was real. “When I first called, they said they didn’t know.” Mr Giasimakis reports to K.“When they contacted me again and said it was true, I stressed to them that I didn’t want these people to come to the Oropos municipality ambulance again. The image we saw is from the Middle Ages,” he said characteristically.

This company has been working with the municipality of Oropos since at least 2015. To a question from “K” As to why this is happening, Mr Giasimakis replies that “the municipality and no municipality has the capacity to operate an ambulance” with specialized personnel. Both employees were specialized, with the same work experience, which is evident from their contract, emphasizes Mr. Giasimakis. “Indeed, one rescuer was also an employee of the Ministry of Health,” he adds, stressing that the process of his dismissal had already begun on the order of the Minister of Health. Thanos Pleuris.

“Regarding the unfortunate case of inhumane behavior in Oropos, a particular crew concerns a private ambulance with no connection to the ABCI and the Ministry of Health,” the Ministry of Health emphasized in a statement, noting that one of the two “private workers appear at the same time as employees in the hospital with the possibility of private practice. Despite the fact that his action was committed in the context of a private project not related to his official duties, due to disrespect for his act, he was immediately placed on leave by order of the Minister of Health, Thanos Pleuris, and the process of his dismissal is initiated.

In connection with this incident, the municipality of Oropos began a sworn administrative review. “The conclusion will be forwarded to the prosecutor’s office,” says Mr. Giasimakis. “However, the EDE is also carried out in order to proceed with the termination of the contract with the company,” he notes. As to why the workers acted this way, he says he doesn’t know, but that’s none of his business. “There is no,” he emphasizes, “no excuse for what happened.”