Cyprus MPs are holding a second joint session today on the catastrophic wildfire that tore through the Limassol mountains, with expectations that a third hearing will be required before parliamentary scrutiny is complete.
Lawmakers from the Committees on Internal Affairs, Agriculture and Environment are demanding responses to questions left unanswered in the first hearing earlier this month.
According to Committee Chair Andreas Damianou, ministers presented their positions at the initial session on 5 August, but Friday’s meeting will give the floor to other stakeholders. “This will not be a superficial discussion, but one that goes to the heart of the matter,” he stressed, adding that a third hearing will likely be scheduled for mid-September, followed by a report.
Still Waiting for Answers
When asked if any of the outstanding questions had been resolved, Damianou admitted that, to his knowledge, no clear answers have yet been provided. MPs now expect the government and agencies to deliver explanations in the second session.
Environment Committee Chair Charalambos Theopemptou echoed the demand for clarity, emphasising that it is crucial to receive “satisfactory answers”, especially regarding recovery, protection and the planning required for natural regeneration. He stressed the need for proper coordination in restoration works, pointing out that the vast majority of affected land is privately owned.
Theopemptou also highlighted the urgent necessity of anti-erosion projects, warning that delays could worsen the environmental damage.
Call for Support to Rural Communities
Agriculture Committee Chair Yiannakis Gavriel underlined the need not only for long-term restoration planning, but also for immediate support to rural residents who lost property and livelihoods. He argued that binding incentives must be introduced to ensure people remain in the countryside, while red tape should be reduced to speed up procedures.
Gavriel suggested practical measures such as registering rural roads and easing bureaucratic burdens, noting that both fire-hit areas and the countryside in general require streamlined processes.
A Wide Range of Stakeholders
Friday’s session has brought together a long list of officials and agencies, including the Ministers of Interior, Agriculture, Defence and Justice, as well as the Deputy Ministers of Research, Social Welfare and Tourism. The Attorney General’s Office, the Audit Office, and representatives from the Health and Labour Ministries are also present.
In addition, the heads of the Police, Fire Service, National Guard, EMAK rescue unit, Civil Defence and the Forestry Department are participating, along with local authorities from affected communities, district commissioners, and representatives from the Union of Municipalities and the Union of Communities.
Environmental and agricultural organisations, together with volunteer groups such as the Pancyprian Volunteerism Coordinating Council and SupportCY, have also been invited to contribute.
