How far do the fires have to spread for the Cyprus government to realise that there was negligence?

Statement by AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Giorgos Koukoumas

How far do the fires have to spread for the government to realise that there was negligence?

14 June 2024, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

When Paphos and the whole of Cyprus is counting the wounds left behind by the raging fires, it is an audacity and provocation on the part of the Minister of Agriculture to claim that there was no negligence on the part of the state, especially in relation to the means of aerial firefighting means. One wonders how far the fires had to spread before the Government and the Minister realises and admits that there were both problems and negligence.

The Minister herself assured us three weeks ago that the state was in full operational readiness to deal with the fires, but when the fire broke out in Paphos the whole country had only one primary fire-fighting aircraft. Not even the fire-fighting planes that are leased annually before the start of summer were available to the state this year.

At times like this, the government and the Minister in charge would do well to focus on their failures and mistakes and not add insult to injury.

14.06.2024