Cyprus MEPs have voiced their frustration, feeling ‘abandoned’ by the EU following the devastating wildfire in Limassol that resulted in two fatalities in July.
- Cyprus MEPs have voiced their frustration, feeling ‘abandoned’ by the EU following the devastating wildfire in Limassol that resulted in two fatalities in July.
- Despite expressing gratitude for any assistance received, Panayiotou emphasised that it was insufficient, stating, “You were not in Cyprus when we needed you the most, and this needs to change.”
During a session in Strasbourg, Cypriot representatives called for enhanced support from the European Union to combat future wildfires. Akel’s Giorgos Georgiou was the first to address the chamber, criticising European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Hadjia Lahbib, for her speech. He highlighted the inadequate response to the wildfires, stating, “I heard you use the word ‘shall’ 10 times and the word ‘must’ 20 times in your speech.”
Georgiou pointed out that Cyprus led Europe in the proportion of territory burned over the past decade, with 104 square kilometres lost. This, he claimed, underscored the need for urgent EU assistance, particularly regarding the two firefighting planes requested from Spain that had yet to arrive after three months.
While acknowledging the Cypriot government’s significant responsibility for the wildfires, Georgiou noted that no ministers had resigned in response to the disaster. He contended that the EU also bore blame, stating, “Since 2016, we, the Left group, have been calling for a European air firefighting base to be established in Cyprus. You are outrageously ignoring us.”
Geadi Geadi of Elam echoed these sentiments, critiquing the rescEU mechanism, which he argued had left countries like Cyprus vulnerable. He proposed the establishment of a robust pan-European fire brigade and stricter penalties for arsonists, alongside increased funding for wildfire victims.
In a pointed exchange, French MEP Gregory Allione questioned Geadi’s call for more funding for a mechanism he deemed ineffective, prompting Geadi to clarify that his experience at the Limassol fire scene revealed substantial gaps in the current system.
Independent MEP Fidias Panayiotou added to the criticism, stating, “The European Union did almost nothing to help us,” noting that assistance from non-EU countries such as Jordan and Israel had been more forthcoming than aid from EU member states. He lamented, “This is not a good look for the European Union, and us Cypriots feel abandoned by the EU.”
Despite expressing gratitude for any assistance received, Panayiotou emphasised that it was insufficient, stating, “You were not in Cyprus when we needed you the most, and this needs to change.”
Disy’s Michalis Hadjipantela concluded the Cypriot addresses by stressing the ongoing impact of climate change on the island. He asserted that the EU must go beyond mere sympathy, advocating for tangible actions to fortify the rescEU mechanism and better prepare for future incidents. Earlier in the summer, he had called for the EU to station firefighting aircraft in Cyprus.
