AKEL General Secretary criticizes new green taxes in Cyprus

Stefanos Stefanou, the General Secretary of AKEL, released a social media video addressing the implementation of green taxes in Cyprus. In his statement, he used a pun based on Cyprus's 2026 Eurovision entry to highlight the increasing financial burden on citizens. Stefanou argued that the government is pressuring municipalities to adopt new taxes for waste management programs without adequate preparation. According to the AKEL leader, the necessary infrastructure to support these programs has not been established by current or previous administrations. He asserted that while taxpayers will face higher costs for waste disposal, there will be no significant environmental benefit due to this lack of facilities. Stefanou formally called on the government to refrain from imposing these taxes, citing existing economic pressures. The video emphasizes that the cost of living is already high and additional taxes would be unsustainable for many households. This criticism follows previous warnings from the party regarding the fiscal impact of environmental policies.