Three men accused of involvement in a series of fires targeting forested and agricultural areas in Messinia, southwestern Peloponnese, appeared before a Kalamata court early Sunday to testify.
The suspects, arrested following an investigation launched by authorities around two years ago, include a firefighter employed on a temporary five-year contract, a local administrative official, and the official’s brother.
They face charges linked to seven fires that authorities determined were deliberately set in 2024 and 2025, three in forest areas and four on farmland.
The three men are also facing charges of blackmail, aggravated damage and theft. The preliminary investigation remains ongoing, with authorities examining possible links to additional fires reported in recent years in the wider areas of Vlachopoulo and Metamorfosi.
According to reports, investigators believe the suspects may have exploited the management of irrigation water in the area, allegedly demanding payments from farmers in exchange for supplying water to their crops. Those who refused, authorities say, were subjected to threats, arson attacks, and the destruction or theft of agricultural equipment.
