ANGER OF ANIMAL WELFARE ORGANISATIONS OVER THE POST OF A CANDIDATE FOR PARLIAMENT - 'HIS REPORTS ARE OFFENSIVE AND DANGEROUS - GIVE EVIDENCE OR APOLOGISE' - Filenews 10/4
Animal welfare organizations sent a letter to DIPA, in which they express their strong dissatisfaction in relation to the post of the faction's parliamentary candidate, Georgios Koumas.
In the video posted on Social Media, Mr. Kouma, as reported by the organizations, makes "particularly heavy reports against animal lovers" and they ask him either to present specific, verifiable evidence to substantiate his claims, or to explicitly and publicly retract his accusations and apologize.
At the same time, animal welfare organizations call on DIPA, as a political body, to take an official position, ensuring that "the public discourse of its candidates respects the truth, legality and social contribution".
This letter
Subject: Public statements by the parliamentary candidate Mr. Georgios Koumas on 07 April 2026 via Social Networks.
Dear Sirs,
Hereby, the legally registered Animal Welfare Organizations of Cyprus wish to express their grave concern and protest regarding a public post (video) of your party's parliamentary candidate, Mr. Georgios Koumas, dated April 7, 2026.
In the video in question, Mr. Kouma makes generalized and particularly heavy references to animal lovers, arguing, among other things, that:
– People who declare themselves animal lovers act for financial gain,
– Enter private properties and remove dogs for the purpose of selling,
– They locate strays, "feed" them and under the pretext of animal welfare they export them abroad for profit,
– There is a distinction between "real" animal lovers and those who "exploit" animal welfare for speculation, concluding that "the issue needs a lot of attention".
These allegations, as formulated, are general, unsubstantiated and potentially defamatory, since:
• They target a whole category of citizens (volunteers, organizations, individuals) who offer proven work in the rescue and care of animals.
• They imply criminally punishable acts (animal theft, illegal trade/speculation) without citing specific incidents, data or complaints.
• They create a climate of disdain and suspicion at the expense of legal and socially beneficial activity, affecting the credibility of individuals and voluntary organizations.
In addition, such public statements are not only offensive, they are also dangerous.
*It has been proven that such unsubstantiated accusations have repeatedly contributed to the creation of a negative climate that leads to verbal and physical violence against volunteers, during the course of their work (collection, feeding, animal care).*
They also urge the public not to trust perfectly legal animal welfare organizations, resulting in a decrease in adoptions and support for organizations within the country.
When public figures make unsubstantiated accusations, they reinforce prejudices and provide an alibi for such behaviour.
It is recalled that, especially for a lawyer, the public formulation of such claims without sufficient substantiation raises issues:
Defamation/defamation, when acts capable of damaging the honour and reputation of persons are attributed without proof,
Misinformation of the public, when impressions are created of widespread delinquency without evidence,
and in general abuse of the public platform for generalized accusations.
In addition to the legal aspects, these statements do injustice and insult thousands of people who every day, at personal cost and without any benefit, contribute to the protection of animals, while also supporting the work of the State.
Following the above, we kindly ask that:
Mr. Georgios Koumas must immediately publish specific, verifiable evidence to substantiate his claims (dates, incidents, complaints, decisions of competent authorities).
Otherwise, he explicitly and publicly retracts his generalized accusations and apologizes, in the same way and to the same extent that he made them public.
DIPA, as a political body, has taken an official position, ensuring that the public discourse of its candidates respects the truth, legality and social contribution.
At the same time, we invite you to an open and meaningful dialogue with representatives of volunteers and organizations, with the aim of enlightening them about their work, the real challenges they face and the solutions that can be implemented. Only through cooperation, knowledge and respect can there be progress.
Criticism and pointing out problems are legitimate, but they must be based on evidence and not lead to unfounded targeting. Otherwise, these positions are perceived as libel and café rhetoric, incompatible with the public role and the capacity of the speaker.
We look forward to your actions.
Yours sincerely,
Group of Animal Welfare Organizations.
