Discussion on civil protection following the drone attack on Akrotiri base

During a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Internal Affairs on Thursday, Kourion Mayor Pantelis Georgiou discussed the handling of a recent drone attack on the British Akrotiri base. Georgiou reported that the lack of clear protocols and jurisdictional ambiguity between the Republic of Cyprus and the British Bases contributed to chaos during the initial hours following the strike. According to the Mayor, he was informed of the attack shortly after midnight and arrived at the site, finding citizens in a state of panic while sirens sounded for four hours. He noted that the British authorities appeared unprepared for the incident. Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou, who also attended the session, announced that the Cabinet has approved a bill to upgrade Civil Defense to a Civil Protection service. The Mayor and the Minister coordinated the decision to evacuate the Akrotiri area early Monday morning due to a lack of clarity from British authorities regarding evacuation plans. The discussion also highlighted deficiencies in local shelters and early warning systems. Committee Chairman Aristos Damianou emphasized the long-standing need for improved civil protection structures.