Statements by the General Secretary of AKEL

 

• The government and DISY are refusing to take decisions to alleviate energy price hikes
• Society is paying the cost of the government’s inability to develop a comprehensive energy planning
• AKEL discussed its proposals with trade unions and the Board of the Cyprus Electricity Authority

11 October 2022, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

Given that the government is turning a deaf ear to society’s demand for relief and support to be provided for households and businesses from energy price hikes, and since the government and DISY are boycotting the decisions approved by Parliament in this direction, “it is obvious that another government is needed which can incorporate all the proposals, suggestions and decisions of AKEL and the opposition into a comprehensive plan for energy, electricity and fuels, so that we can give a perspective to the country and provide relief to households and businesses from the energy crisis.”

This was the message conveyed today by the General Secretary of AKEL Stefanos Stefanou after meetings and discussions with trade unions and the Board of the [semi-governmental organisation] Cyprus Electricity Authority (AHK), which AKEL has supported over the years. This support is related to the fact that AHK covers a very critical and strategically important sector, such as electricity in a semi-occupied country, on an isolated island like Cyprus.

Stefanos Stefanou pointed out that today’s meeting and discussion with both the trade unions and the Board of AHK is taking place in the backdrop of the ongoing energy crisis around the world and especially in Europe, but also in the context of the very high prices and price hikes in energy, a fact which is passed on to the increased prices and price hikes in the whole chain of essential goods in Cyprus and internationally.

The General Secretary of AKEL also underlined that the issue of addressing price hikes in electricity and energy in general, the issue of energy security in Cyprus depends on the existence of a stable, strong and sustainable protagonist – an organisation such as AHK – on the issue of electricity.

The General Secretary of AKEL noted that “unfortunately, this government in its 10 years of governance has not done what it should have done both in the direction of AHK and for the elaboration of a comprehensive energy planning that would address, with a perspective, the challenges and stakes that Cyprus faces”.  As a result, he explained, part of the electricity price hikes are due to the inability of this government to implement an energy plan, such as the advent of natural gas for power generation purposes, the adequate introduction of renewables in the energy mix, such as a number of investments that should have been made and were not made which is why we are paying €200 million/year for pollutants. An amount that is passed on to household and business bills.

The General Secretary of AKEL stressed that “the government should do what all the governments of the EU member states are doing to reduce the cost of electricity on the one hand and on the other hand to give a perspective to energy security matters. Unfortunately, it isn’t doing so – even on issues that the opposition, with AKEL playing a leading role, has approved in Parliament – such as reducing VAT from 19% to 9% on electricity, ending VAT on the cost of pollutants and the abolition of double taxation on fuel. While Parliament, by a large majority – with the exception of the ruling DISY party – has voted in favour of AKEL’s proposals, the government and DISY are boycotting the implementation of these decisions.”

The General Secretary of AKEL once again called on the DISY government to have second thoughts and implement Parliament’s decisions “as a first step to relieve households and businesses from the high electricity costs. Beyond that, there are a number of other measures that need to be taken and we have submitted specific proposals in this regard, which we have discussed today with AHK.”