EU Regional Policy Commissioner Johannes Hahn has assured that the European Commission will consider the possibilities for financial assistance to Cyprus under the EU Solidarity Fund, following a massive explosion in “Evaggelos Florakis“ naval base in the southern coast of the island, which killed 13 persons and crippled Cyprus` main power station in nearby Vasiliko.

Hahn`s assurance were made in a letter to Cypriot MEP Takis Hadigeorgiou who pointed out that although the EU Solidarity Fund is limited to natural disasters, it could cover Cyprus in case of extraordinary regional disasters resulting in damage affecting the major part of its population.

“I would like to assure you that the Commission will consider possibilities under the EU Solidarity Fund, which would cover direct damage in the public domain after natural disasters. We are ready to assess an application for assistance from the Solidarity Fund as quickly as possible, should the Cypriot authorities decide to submit it,“ Hahn notes in his letter, adding that the application must be sent within 10 weeks from the occurrence of the disaster, namely by 19 September.

Hahn also said his services “stand ready to discuss with the Cypriot authorities if they decide to proceed with a reprogramming of the current cohesion policy programmes in order to assess the aftermath of the explosion.