Nicosia, Cyprus. The Union of Municipalities welcomed parliament’s rejection of a proposed municipal waste landfill tax, calling the decision responsible and urging the government to begin consultations on a fairer waste management framework.
Parliament rejected the legislation by 26 votes to 19, while the agriculture ministry warned that the decision could put €23 million in European Union funding for waste management projects at risk.
Municipalities’ position
Following Tuesday’s House plenum vote, the Union of Municipalities said the outcome reflected concerns it had repeatedly raised that local authorities and households should not bear the financial consequences of shortcomings in the state’s waste management system.
“The decision justifies our documented and persistent interventions,” the union said, adding that neither local government nor the public “can bear the cost of the state’s perennial weaknesses in creating the necessary infrastructure and conditions for effective waste management”.
The union said it supports Cyprus’ environmental commitments and the transition to a circular economy, but maintained that these objectives should be pursued through coordinated planning rather than additional costs for households.
It said achieving the targets requires comprehensive planning, adequate infrastructure, substantial cooperation among stakeholders and a fair distribution of responsibilities.
Parliament vote and funding concerns
MPs from several parties argued that Cyprus had not established the infrastructure needed to reduce reliance on landfill before introducing additional charges.
The government had proposed an initial landfill levy of €10 per tonne. It warned that rejection of the measure could place €23 million in European Union funding at risk.
Following the vote, the agriculture ministry described parliament’s decision as “a particularly negative development”. It said that, together with national co-financing, the available funding would have totalled about €48 million.
Call for consultations
The Union of Municipalities called for immediate consultations between the government and local authorities to develop what it described as an applicable and fair framework.
It said the framework should meet environmental obligations and Cyprus’ commitments to the European Union without imposing unjustified financial burdens on the public. The agriculture ministry said the government remained committed to implementing its broader waste management strategy.
