Filenews 22 January 2026 - by Angelos Nikolaou
With strong positions, questions about the culture of our society, but also details about the disciplinary prosecutions of those involved, the incident of abuse of a sea turtle carcass on a beach of Chloraka was discussed in the parliamentary Committee on the Environment. The video, which shows four workers kicking and playing with the dead animal, provoked the intervention of MPs of all parties, highlighting a wider problem of education and policing.
The community leader of Chloraka, Nikolas Liasidis, provided a detailed briefing on the history of the incident, expressing his deep regret. As he revealed, the four people involved are employees of the Paphos Communities Complex, three of whom were hired just seven months ago.
Regarding the sanctions, Mr. Liasidis was clear: The West Paphos Communities Complex decided to appoint two investigating officers to conduct a disciplinary investigation into the case of the dead turtle found on a beach in Chloraka to examine the inappropriate behaviour of the employees.
Mr. Liasidis analyzed the range of penalties and referring to the disciplinary code, he said that the penalties start from a simple reprimand and reach the final dismissal. Specifically, he stated that in the event that an hourly employee is found guilty of a disciplinary offense, one of the following penalties may be imposed on him: a) reprimand, b) severe reprimand, c) non-granting of an annual increase, d) downgrading to the salary scale, e) disciplinary transfer/transfer, f) dismissal.
The Police, he noted, following a complaint by an Austrian tourist, completed the examinations and the file is in the Legal Service on the charge of "common nuisance". "The young workers ridiculed the transport of the turtle. Instead of using the appropriate equipment, they threw and kicked her. As a Council, we have appointed a legal advisor and we are waiting for the final proposal on the penalties within the week," said Mr. Liasidis.
The community leader of Chloraka said that it is a common phenomenon for dead turtles to be found on the beach, stressing that even today one washed up on the shores and the procedure was followed. He explained that the Department of Fisheries is being informed. In case of injury, an expert from the competent Department is expected, while when she is found dead, she is taken to a warehouse of the Council and then buried. He explained that in the incident of January 12, a Green crew went for collection, after informing the caretaker, who did not know the transport process, while they had only one bag, instead of gloves to carry it 20 meters away.
The autopsy and the legislative gap
Despite the rumours that circulated that the turtle was alive during the abuse, the officer of the Department of Fisheries, Melina Markou, and the president of the community confirmed that, according to the veterinary autopsy, the animal was dead for at least 48 hours, had haematomas and was in a state of decomposition (swollen, without eyes).
However, Ms. Markou admitted that there is a gap in the legislation, as existing regulations focus on protecting live turtles, leaving grey areas for the treatment of dead animals.
A matter of culture and education
The MPs were sceptical about whether the increase in sentences is enough: Marina Nikolaou stressed that it is not an isolated incident, referring to the shooting of strays.
Rita Theodorou Superman and Savia Orfanidou focused on the lack of culture and the way we raise our children. Linos Papagiannis described the behaviour of the four as "sick", while Christos Orphanides asked for explanations for the instructions given by the employees.
The president of the Committee, Charalambos Theopemptou, criticized the fact that many others advertise their act on the internet and announced amendments to tighten the prosecution framework.
The president of the Voice for the Animals of Cyprus, Mary Anastasi, and the representative of Terra Cypria, Kleitos Papastylianou, pointed out that the problem is systemic, citing examples from hanging foxes to harassment of turtles by tourist boats.
At the same time, the inaction of the Animal Police was reported in most districts except Limassol.
