The state should make use of the increased revenues from surpluses to support society
Statement by the General Secretary of AKEL St. Stefanou after the meeting with the Natural Gas Public Company (DEFA)
11 March 2024, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia
As part of the ongoing campaign that AKEL is conducting on energy policy issues and primarily on the price of energy, both electricity and fuel, today we had the pleasure of meeting the Public Natural Gas Company (DEFA), which has the responsibility of arranging the entry of natural gas into Cyprus for power generation purposes.
Against the backdrop of the difficulties and problems that exist in relation to the completion of the investment in Vasilikos for the arrival of natural gas, we discussed with the Chairman of DEFA and his colleagues, how things stand and how the whole situation is shaping up. I will not go into details regarding what we have discussed, I think it is best not to say too much. But I would like to say that AKEL’s position is that this project must find a way to be completed, because Cyprus must have natural gas for electricity generation purposes as soon as possible. First of all, this will also relieve us to some extent of the pollutants that consumers pay for, and these millions that consumers pay are far too many.
Let me point out that last year we paid about 350 million for pollutants, depending on the price of pollutants we will pay until we bring in natural gas. So it is imperative that the whole investment is completed as soon as possible. Because there is a lot of talk about how we have reached the contract and how and who negotiated it and what decisions were taken, I want to make it clear that AKEL will insist to the very end on a full investigation being carried out and on clarifications being given. We are convinced that this
investigation will lead to the conclusion that scandals have taken place and that at long last in this country someone will have to be held accountable and punished. There is an ongoing debate in the House of Representatives, in the parliamentary scrutiny committee. I should say that the scrutiny committee is highlighting various issues, but it can neither charge nor punish anyone.
For that reason, this is an issue that the government has to handle with and on this matter it will be tested with regards its political will to at long last confront these phenomena of entanglement/interwoven interests and corruption that exist in the country.
I would like to take this opportunity to state once again that AKEL has submitted specific proposals to the government for the short-term solution to the high cost of electricity. It has tabled specific proposals on how the state can contribute, at this stage, until the implementation of various investments, to help households and businesses cope with the high electricity costs.
I would like to remind you all once again of the specific proposals that we have made and unfortunately so far we have not received any response from the government.
