According to the Minister of Agriculture, the friendly relations between him and the European Commissioner regarding environmental issues as well as the fact that the vultures are not a protected species are essentially the reasons why no fine has been imposed on Cyprus on the issue of vulture hunting.
Nikos Kougialis mentioned this more or less (13th minute and until the end), invited to the show Mesimeri kai Kati on the subject of vines and waste. "If he wakes up upside down ...", he can also make the complaint to us ... said the Minister.
The complaint that the Commissioner would make next November but will not be made is the following: The hunting of vultures continues illegally and that as Cyprus has not suppressed the hunting effectively.
The Minister urged the Commissioner not to make a complaint at this stage after they proceeded to analyze arguments regarding the legislation that has already been implemented since the summer.
It should be said to start a discussion from 0. Put all the issues on the table. The Commissioner finally, according to the Minister, accepted to "put in the fridge" the issue in question and not to proceed with a complaint next November.
Addressing the people protesting the issue, the Minister said that a dialogue is starting with the aim of resolving problems and identifying the gray areas between the two sides.
The trigger for mass protests According to the Minister, the action of the activists has become more intense lately.
"The vine is not a protected species. "What matters, however, and what is affected is the way we are trapped in networks, which is torturous."
Waste issue and fines
The government is in consultation with the Commissioner regarding these issues, the Minister said. The government's relations, which convince Europeans that we are serious, as well as his personal relations with the Commissioner, also help in the case of avoiding the imposition of fines, such as in the case of Kotsiatis.
"War" on Twitter
At the same time, "war" broke out via twitter over the comments of the Minister of Agriculture on the show "Mesimeri kai Kati" on Sigma TV, with the Vice President of the Ecologists 'Movement-Citizens' Cooperation wondering if " the Environment Commissioner woke up ”and with the Minister answering that the law is applied with all strictness since in just 2 months 52 complaints have been made.
I'm talking about vines. George, they have been paid around 30. I will tell you the exact number tomorrow
- Nicos Kouyialis (@NicosKouyialis) October 20, 2017
Source: Famagusta.News/SigmaLive