Cyprus Parliament Divides Over Proposed Civil Protection Overhaul

During the opening debate on Thursday, Cypriot MPs split over a bill that would merge the country’s fragmented civil protection and crisis‑management agencies into a single national structure. The proposal would rename the Interior Ministry as the Ministry of Interior and Civil Protection, create a dedicated directorate and a permanent secretary for civil protection, and establish a National Civil Protection Mechanism and Coordinator—currently earmarked for former National Guard chief Georgios Tzitzikostas. The fire department would move from the Justice Ministry into the new system, while the forestry department would remain under Agriculture for now. MPs raised concerns about jurisdiction, operational command, and the potential conscription of ambulance staff. Finance officials said a budget has been drafted, but a supplementary budget may be needed if the bill stalls. The transition timeline remains unclear, and ministers from justice, defence and interior are set to negotiate differences in the coming weeks. The bill’s passage would aim to give Cyprus a unified, statutory civil‑protection system capable of pre‑empting, preparing for, and responding decisively to natural and man‑made disasters.