Strasbourg, France. Cypriot members of the European Parliament on Wednesday called for stronger protection for Cyprus from the effects of wildfires during a plenary debate on the European Union’s preparedness for future fires and heatwaves.
They urged greater prevention, resilience and support for the island, with calls for permanent resources and clarification over the deployment of EU firefighting assets.
Calls for stronger protection for Cyprus
Akel MEP Giorgos Georgiou said the climate crisis was already affecting Europe, particularly countries in the south.
“The climate crisis is here, even if the conservative [United States President Donald] Trump imitators do not recognise it, and even if [European Commission President Ursula] von der Leyen underestimates it,” he said.
He said heatwaves kill, fires destroy, and countries in southern Europe are being tested.
Georgiou said Cyprus is on the front line, facing extreme temperatures, prolonged drought, burned forests, lost property and risks to human life.
“It is not enough to measure the disasters. We need more prevention, and not that which is based on costs, more resilience, and more solidarity,” he said.
Proposal for a regional firefighting centre
Georgiou said Cyprus can and must become a model European regional centre for forest firefighting and civil protection for the eastern Mediterranean, citing its strategic geographical location.
He said the island should be provided with permanent aerial means, specialised personnel and sufficient European funding.
Support for expanded EU deployment
Disy MEP Loukas Fourlas welcomed the European Commission’s decision to strengthen the deployment of firefighters and equipment to EU areas vulnerable to wildfires through the bloc’s civil protection mechanism.
He said the European Union would deploy a record number of resources, with 777 firefighters, 22 aircraft and five helicopters positioned in various parts of European territory to assist wherever needed.
Fourlas said he wanted to know whether there was any planning regarding where those resources would be sent and when.
Call for permanent rescEU presence
Fourlas said he had consistently supported the need for a permanent and reinforced rescEU presence in Cyprus because of the island’s geographical isolation and resulting vulnerability.
RescEU is the European Union’s strategic reserve of disaster response capabilities, including firefighting aircraft.