Meeting of AKEL’s Parliamentary Representative with the Board of the General Control Centre of the Forestry Department

 

17 May 2024, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

On the occasion of Forest Protection Week, a delegation of AKEL headed by the Party’s Parliamentary Representative Giorgos Loukaides visited the General Control Centre of the Forestry Department in Athalassa today.

During the meeting with the Board of the Centre, the excellent work done in the field of fire prevention and forest firefighting was confirmed, while the delegation had the opportunity to record the significant needs observed.

As was stressed once again, following a recent visit by AKEL to the Forestry Department, the Anastasiades government’s decision to close – in effect – the Forestry College has had a negative impact on the Department, in terms of its staffing. As a result, there is an obvious inability to fill the available positions with qualified and properly trained people.

For this reason, the government must implement the decision of the Council of Ministers taken to resume the Forestry College’s operation in 2025. The government’s additional duty is to find all means to ensure that, in terms of labour force and equipment, the Department can effectively and adequately fulfil its operational task.

The AKEL delegation assured once again that AKEL will continue to stand by the Forestry Department, and its staff, in the important work it carries out to protect our country’s green wealth.

The Party’s delegation also included Christina Nicolaou, Head of Energy and Environment Policy of AKEL and Andros Karagiannis, AKEL candidate for the 9th June European elections.