Anger Over Fires Clouds Greek Election

A Greek orthodox priest looks on during a fire in the village of Thisoa, in the Peloponnese, about 250 kilometers (155 miles) southwest of Athens, Greece, Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2007. The country's worst forest fires in living memory have killed at least 64 people since they began five days ago, ravaging olive groves, forest and orchards and incinerating homes, wild animals and livestock. Southern Greece, where the flames reached the birthplace of the Olympic Games in Ancient Olympia, was by far the worst affected. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris) (Petros Giannakouris - AP)

Although there have been no cost estimates so far, production from the destroyed areas make up only about 4.5 percent of Greece's gross domestic product _ placing them among the poorest in per capita production. The areas are mostly agricultural, but also have significant service industries _ mostly tourism _ and some industrial production.

In the city of Pyrgos, hundreds of people crowded into bank branches to take advantage of a government promise to give them aid just by signing a single piece of paper vouching that the fires had damaged or destroyed their property.

"The prime minister ordered the abolition of all bureaucratic procedures that for years have been needed to receive aid in case of disaster," government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos said.

In nearby Ancient Olympia, 34-year-old Giorgos Bouzas, who owns a paper business, submitted his voucher at a bank and was waiting for his funds.

"Everything is closed now, the hotels and restaurants, while before every day they were full. Now we are alone, and we need 10 years at least to get back to where we were," Bouzas said.

The Finance Ministry also announced it was suspending Value Added Tax payments_ a form of sales tax _ and outstanding income and corporate taxes in afflicted areas for six months and banned seizures of property for outstanding debts.

Although the government has already budgeted more than $400 million for such aid, the finance ministry has said the cost was expected to be much higher.

The devastation infuriated Greeks, who already had been stunned by deadly forest fires in June and July. The fires are dominating political debate before the elections. Criticism that the government failed to respond fast enough _ and its suggestions the fires resulted from an organized attack _ could hurt the bid for re-election by Karamanlis and his governing conservative party.

In nearby Croatia, which is also battling a record number of fires this summer, a blaze broke out Wednesday on the island of Hvar, prompting the evacuation of tourists from a camp, authorities said. A 50-year-old firefighter fell ill and died at the scene, police said. The cause of death has not yet been determined.

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Associated Press Writer Derek Gatopoulos contributed this report.