The EU firefighting hub that will operate in Paphos is a strategic hub for the entire Eastern Mediterranean, said Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Haxha Labib. The Commissioner underlined its important role as part of the EU's fire preparedness and response mechanism, noting that "this area is on the front line".
Ms. Labib underlined the fact that fires have become bigger, faster and more difficult to deal with due to climate change across Europe, which is the fastest warming continent. He added that weather conditions in the Eastern Mediterranean make fires more likely to occur and referred to the deadly fire in Limassol last summer as the worst in Cyprus in over half a century.
"No one is immune and that is why the European Union is taking drastic measures," the Commissioner said, noting that the Civil Protection Mechanism responded to 19 requests for assistance last year, deploying nearly 800 firefighters and pilots and nearly 60 planes and helicopters. She stressed the importance of prevention, by maintaining healthy forests, reducing dry vegetation and strengthening the European Forest Fire Information System, powered by the Copernicus satellites.
After Spain, France, Greece, Italy and Portugal, Cyprus will host teams that have prepared in advance for the first time. "That tells you something important: this region is on the front line," said the Commissioner. 18 planes and 4 helicopters are also deployed from the rescEU fleet, stationed in 11 Member States.
"The new firefighting hub in Cyprus is not just a base for aircraft, it is a strategic hub for the entire Eastern Mediterranean," Labib continued, noting that it will host six pre-installed aircraft, EU-funded training and exchanges with partners. The hub will allow the rapid dispatch of planes to hot spots in Cyprus, Lebanon or Jordan within a few hours.
"The challenges we face are common, as should our response," said Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou, welcoming the creation of the European Firefighting Centre in Cyprus. Mr. Ioannou pointed out that there was no permanent operational presence of the EU in the Eastern Mediterranean, despite the high climate vulnerability of the region.
According to the Minister of Interior, the creation of the Regional Air Firefighting Support Center will significantly strengthen operational coverage in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Southern Neighborhood. The Centre is designed to close a clear geographical and operational gap, leveraging Cyprus' strategic location at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.
At the same time, he noted that strengthening preparedness capacities in neighbouring countries directly contributes to the protection and resilience of the EU itself. He explained that discussions are ongoing on the legal, operational and financial framework of the initiative, the involvement of third countries and the long-term sustainability of the Hub
The Spokesman of the Civil Defence, Panagiotis Liasides, referred to the readiness of Cyprus to play a key role in dealing with forest fires in the wider region of the Eastern Mediterranean, through the Regional Firefighting Centre of the European Union (CRAFS) at the "Andreas Papandreou" air base in Paphos, noting that the building is ready and soon the competent services will be able to respond with more means.
He was speaking to KYPE on the occasion of the 3rd Euro-Mediterranean High-Level Workshop on the dangers of fires, which took place in a hotel in Paphos, in the framework of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
In his statements, Mr. Liasidis said that the conference is an initiative of the European Union in cooperation with the President of the Republic and is part of the wider implementation of the decision to create a forest firefighting center at the "Andreas Papandreou" air base in Paphos.
As he said, "within the framework of the implementation of this program, many actions are being taken", pointing out that the building of the Center is already ready and soon the competent services will be able to respond with more means, not only for the needs of Cyprus but also of the wider region.
The Spokesperson of the Civil Defence noted that more than 110 delegates from countries of the European Union, the Mediterranean and the Middle Neighbourhood are participating in the conference, with the aim of highlighting the effort made to strengthen cooperation and coordination.
As he explained, due to the geographical location of Cyprus, the aircraft that will be stationed at the Center will be able to respond immediately to fire incidents in the surrounding areas, while at the same time the conference gives the opportunity to examine possible problems and ensure a more effective response of the European Union in cases of crises.
Answering a relevant question, Mr. Liasidis stated that after the completion of the workshop, a visit will be made to the Regional Firefighting Center (CRAFS) at the "Andreas Papandreou" air base, in which the Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, will also participate.
Asked about when the inauguration is expected, he clarified that so far no specific date has been set, as this will depend on the program of the President of the European Commission and the President of the Republic.
At the same time, Mr. Liasidis also referred to the planning of the Civil Defense for the fire season, pointing out that by mid-April the revisions of all evacuation plans for each community of Cyprus were completed.
As he explained, Civil Defense personnel visited all communities and proceeded to review the evacuation plans taking into account the specifics of each area. He also announced that preparedness exercises are already scheduled in all provinces, with five exercises in May and another five in June.
Mr. Liasidis underlined that the evacuation process should be considered part of the daily readiness of society, pointing out that citizens should be aware that, in case of danger, they must follow the instructions of the competent authorities for the safe evacuation of the population.
