Filenews 26 March 2025
The debate on the actions of the Police in relation to the realization of the event of the party of hunters last Sunday, where the four lanes of traffic of the Nicosia-Limassol motorway were allowed to be cut off to the inconvenience of thousands of drivers, was postponed until April 23.
On the merits, there was no discussion, since the Chief of Police, Themistos Arnaoutis, refused to take a position and answer the questions of the MPs, citing a double investigation that he ordered after consultation with the Minister of Justice, one internal and one for the possible commission of criminal offenses by hunters or others.
The Leader even asked for the discussion to be interrupted, a fact that caused the strong reactions of MPs of all parties except ELAM. Because Mr. Arnaoutis refused to answer, the MPs asked him to take a position on what the Police do in general in cases of policing events.
The head of the Police Department said that the situation is being evaluated and measures are being taken according to the risk. He said that there is a police provision from 2023 that regulates the issue and when the evaluation of an event is made, the measures to be taken are also decided.
Responding to questions about whether the Police were able to deal with the hunters, the Chief of Police said that the Police can deal with anyone, no matter how many they are, but their attention is always that there are no collisions and injuries. "If we had 20 injured on Sunday, what would the police hear," he wondered.
The issue of the hunters' fiasco will be raised again after Easter, when there will be an image of the events.
Terra Cypria requires immediate measures to ensure a complete system of protection of wild birds and game during the nesting and breeding season. Furthermore, it notes that the Ministry of the Interior must immediately revoke the 3 decrees designating 42 permitted areas for the exercise and training of hunting dogs, from the beginning of March to the middle of July.
Terra Cypria – The Cyprus Foundation for the Protection of the Environment considers that the issuance in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Cyprus of 3 Decrees on 07/3/2025 and 14/3/2025, on the basis of which the training and training of hunting dogs is allowed in a total of 42 areas, during the nesting and breeding season of wild birds and game, constitutes a violation of the provisions of the Community Directive of the European Union and the harmonization legislation of the Cyprus Territory. Democracy for the conservation of wild birds.
According to the 3 Decrees, people who have a valid hunting license and have paid the dog training fee (€20), are allowed to exercise up to 4 hunting dogs in the areas and periods determined, from sunrise to sunset. In particular, the exercise and training of hunting dogs is allowed from 7/3/2025 to 14/7/2025 in a total of 42 areas throughout Cyprus, of which 10 in the Nicosia district, 5 in the Limassol district, 6 in the Larnaca district, 10 in the Paphos district and 11 in the Famagusta district.
Terra Cypria considers that a hunting privilege, such as the training and training of hunting dogs, cannot be placed above a human right, such as the right to a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment. This inalienable and fundamental right should have been guaranteed on the basis of Article 7A of the Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus, but it is violated in order to satisfy unreasonable requests and abuse of hunting privileges. "The fact that a hunting party closes major motorways and roundabouts promotes demands that contradict the provisions of the European Union Community Directive and the harmonizing legislation of the Republic of Cyprus for the conservation of wild birds, while at the same time misinforming the public about such serious issues, which concern the effective protection of the natural environment and the proper implementation of the current legislation, should seriously concern both the organized state and civil society," he adds.
Terra Cypria takes the view that, in accordance with Articles 5 and 7(4) of Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30 November 2009 on the conservation of wild birds, no hunting activity, including the training and training of hunting dogs, should be permitted from 1 January to 1 July each year. During the nesting and breeding season, a general protection regime must apply to all species of wild birds and game, which includes, inter alia, the prohibition of the intentional killing or capture of birds in any way, the deliberate destruction or damage of nests and eggs, and the deliberate disturbance of species and the disturbance of their habitats.
