Agriculture Minister Maria Panagiotou stated on Wednesday that the goal is to provide 100% water for irrigation, but noted that the situation does not allow for complacency and is being continuously evaluated.
At the same time, he rejected criticisms by the President of the Paphos EOA, Charalambos Pittokopitis, for the indifference of the authorities, on the occasion of the damage to the Mavrokolympos dam, saying characteristically "we do not accept lessons."
In statements after the Cabinet meeting, he said that he informed the House about the situation as it has developed in Paphos, explained the actions being taken and the adjustments to the planning "so that we can continue to provide uninterrupted water supply and physically and practically support professional farmers, whether they have permanent or seasonal crops."
He reiterated that the situation is aggravated in Paphos, that we will have a difficult summer and that this year's January, based on data, is the worst in terms of rainfall, and called on everyone to be very careful and frugal in using water.
Invited to comment on statements by the President of the Paphos EOA, the Minister said that she heard them with surprise and that during her recent visit to Paphos, she fully informed him of all the actions taken by the Ministry.
"And I called on him to be particularly careful and to prioritize the issues of losses in the network. Today, Mr. Pittokopitis has essentially spoken of a strong indifference towards our farmers. We cannot accept lessons from Mr. Pittokopitis about the support we provide for professional farmers," he said.
The Minister recalled in detail the measures that have been announced for a framework of private water desalination and irrigation for hotels and subsidized irrigation for farmers, investment programs worth millions so that our farmers can be subsidized up to 80% to install smart irrigation systems.
He also added that dialogue is already underway with agricultural organizations and the Department of Agriculture for compensation to farmers who have proven to have lost income as a result of water scarcity and drought. Compensation has already been paid and hectare subsidies have also been paid before Christmas.
He also mentioned that the Paphos Water Authority was the only organization that did not attend a meeting on funding for projects related to the reduction of water losses and optimal demand management.
The Minister also stated that since June, based on her information, no water supply invoices have been sent to the residents of the province, "and I really wonder if Mr. Pittokopitis is aware of the losses in the network that is under his responsibility."
Ms. Panayiotou reported that the Dam Safety Service currently has five staff members, up from one when it took over, and further staffing is in progress.
"The state is doing everything humanly possible to continue to provide uninterrupted water supply and to actively support professional farmers. However, actions are needed from everyone, both from us who are already doing them as a state and from citizens who must be frugal in their use of water, but also from local authorities who must take all the necessary actions to reduce losses in their own network," noted the Minister of Agriculture.
Responding to a question about water cuts, he said that in irrigation, the quantities have already been reduced, while for water supply, planning is being done with the new data in Paphos and the WDD "is running all scenarios to be able to continue providing water supply at 100%, that is our goal."
In another question, whether he can give assurances that we will not be left without water in the summer, with the actions being taken, he replied that he can assure that "we are taking all the actions possible to be in line with our goal of providing water supply."
"You understand that there are also data that we cannot control, the accidents in Paphos have shown this, but our planning with current data is to continue to provide water supply at 100%, this is what we are aiming for," he said.
Statement on Forest Apprenticeship Regulations
The Minister also stated that the Council of Ministers approved the "Forestry Apprentices (Introduction and Terms of Education) Regulations of 2025", for their harmonization with what has been certified by the Cyprus Forestry College (CFC), for the re-offering of the "Higher Diploma in Forestry" Program by the Cyprus Forestry College (CFC).
"Today we took another step towards the reopening of the DKK, which, according to planning, is expected to officially open its gates next September for the first students," he said.
The next steps, he added, are the announcement of the entrance exams for the first students.
He mentioned that the Forestry College has already opened its doors for training local authorities, volunteers and organized groups on forest firefighting issues, as announced last July.
According to the Minister, in the immediate future and until the start of the Higher Diploma in Forestry Program, more than 600 people will receive education and training at the Forestry College.
