The actions of the Republic of Cyprus so far regarding the construction of a nuclear plant in Akkiou in Turkey and the possible environmental effects it will have for Cyprus were discussed in the parliamentary Environment Committee on Wednesday, with the MPs expressing their concerns about the issue as well as the their satisfaction with the degree of readiness of the Republic of Cyprus to manage such an incident.
However, they called on the competent agencies to inform the citizens about the matter.
In his statements, the President of the Commission, President of the Environmentalist Movement, Charalambos Theopeptou, said that he is satisfied with the government's planning and the equipment it is preparing to buy and install. However, he called for a good risk study and coordination of all services on the issue, "to make sure that all aspects have been considered and we are ready to react".
He noted that the factory is built in a seismic area and there is no information as to whether this was taken into account during construction. "Turkey does not have these experiences, it brings people from Russia", he noted, also mentioning as a concern the level of training of the staff who will be employed at the station, recalling that there were problems in Japan, which is a very advanced country.
Mr. Theopeptou also mentioned that there is great concern about a technology center that is going to be built next to the nuclear power plant in Akkuyu as it might be the opportunity for Turkey to develop military nuclear equipment.
He also expressed concern about the station's waste management. "If we have waste leaks in the Mediterranean, Cyprus will be surrounded by radioactive materials", he said, noting as a positive that in Cyprus an action has been planned for a few years to monitor radioactivity, either in the sea, in the air, or in rainwater .
He also referred to the risk of terrorism, during the supply and management of raw material, "because we are in an area with great changes, terrorism, wars. “There is a concern if we have this kind of action in the region, as it is a very powerful weapon in the hands of a terrorist,” he said. , he said, adding that it has now also started to be built in Egypt "and little by little we will be surrounded by these stations".
In the event of a nuclear accident, Mr. Theopeptou said there is the ELEKTRA action plan, prepared by the Ministry of Labor, which involves about 25 agencies and includes informing the public in advance in case of accidents. "The information must be conveyed to the public, without causing panic", he said.
DISY Member of Parliament, Rita Superman stated that the issue was discussed in the committee in view of the completion of the construction of the nuclear power plant in Akkugiou, which is located only 65 kilometers from the northern coast of Cyprus and in a particularly seismic area. This, he said, is a peculiarity for Akkugiou, since none of the 103 existing stations in the EU is located in a seismic area.
« and the citizens with a valid and timely information to deal with a possible disaster from the station”, he said.
AKEL Member of Parliament, Nikos Kettiros, said that nuclear energy is neither a clean nor a safe source of energy. "Nuclear waste is recyclable with huge disposal costs, so the argument for cheap energy is also rejected," he said, stressing that a possible accident would have devastating consequences for both human health and the environment.
Mr. Kettiros said that this particular station is one of the three being built in Turkey. "We condemn Turkey's inconsistency in its obligation to inform about the security of neighboring countries. “We also note the reluctance of the EU to deal seriously with such an important issue,” he said.
He noted that AKEL had asked the EU Commissioner in charge at the time to take action in 2015 to ensure the energy security in the Eastern Mediterranean region and to defend the member states' right to security.
The MP of DIKO, Christos Orfanidis, said that those who have the ability to control the station, “which are the big powers, the European countries, the UN itself and the USA, prove that they have no interest in the construction method or the materials used'. He noted that it has been pointed out by EU countries that the materials used are of dubious quality. this case».
The MP of DIPA, Michalis Giakoumis, said that the nuclear plant in Akkugiou operates with Russian funds "and this is something that is reflected in the international developments and relations between the two countries". He noted that Turkey ignores international conventions, does not inform neighboring states and that’ extension to the Republic of Cyprus for the development of works at the factory. He said that the EU, as well as the International Atomic Energy Agency, should request full data from Turkey, both on the progress of the project and on whether there are any damages to the factory from the deadly earthquakes.
On behalf of the Cyprus Anti-Nuclear Platform, Kyriakos Tsimillis said that the whole of Cyprus is closer to Akkoyou than Ankara. "We are trying to prevent this even in the first place, taking advantage of the European approach which calls on Turkey in its latest report of 2021 to stop the project and to consult with neighboring countries about the risks and effects on the environment in the event of such an accident» ?, he said.
He suggested that this could be done by sanctioning the manufacturing company, Russia's ROSATOM, which has announced that it will transport the radioactive waste by plane to Russia.
"Even without an accident, the issue of waste, along with rising seawater temperatures, thermal pollution from cooling water discharges, poses a risk to the marine ecosystem and everything else that entails. We are continuing the effort together with organizations and bodies from all over Cyprus, looking forward to support from Europe as well as international environmental bodies”, he said.
Issuance of fines and euthanasia of animals concerns the bill for dogs, says Kettiros
The Environment Committee also discussed the bill concerning dogs.
In his statements on the matter, AKEL MP Nikos Kettiros said that the bill that was submitted "does not constitute nothing else but issuing fines, extrajudicial sentences and euthanizing the animals.
«We punish animals for their right to bark, we punish dogs for their breed, we punish animals as if they were responsible for existence and their behavior», while s’ this is not about creating shelters and cultivating an animal welfare culture.
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