Environmental fines in Cyprus tripled in 2025 — minister

Maria Panayiotou, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment in Cyprus, reported a significant increase in the amounts of fines resulting from environmental inspections in 2025.

From January to July 2025, 137 unscheduled orders were issued totaling €325,000, compared to 85 fines in 2023 totaling around €100,000. According to the minister, the expansion of the Environmental Inspection Sector to 15 staff members increased the effectiveness of controls.

By the end of 2025, the number of issued orders and total fines is expected to exceed previous records. As part of the Environmental Protection Department modernization strategy, a program has been presented to simplify environmental licensing procedures, implement digital tools, and strengthen measures against illegal waste disposal.

A digital platform is being created to monitor applications from citizens and investors; the planned reduction in assessment times is 3–6 months. By early 2026, 50 “green kiosks” are expected to be established for the collection of recyclable materials, which is calculated to allow the collection of up to 11,850 tons of recyclable materials per year and contribute to achieving European targets.

The minister emphasized that these measures are part of the government program to strengthen the environmental sector.