THREE more mukhtars in the mountainous regions submitted their resignations to the Interior Minister, while residents of the various mountain communities plan to occupy three Ministries after the government rejected their request for a reduction in the consumption tax on heating fuel and for a near doubling of the direct assistance to compensate for their high heating costs.
Last week, leaders from Palechori, Orini, Apliki, Farmakas, Agros, and Kyperounta submitted their resignations, with another three resigning on Monday night and more expected to stand down in coming days.
At a Monday night meeting, residents of the Palechori area decided among other things to hand over their voting books and to refuse to pay road taxes
Community leader of Palechori Tasos Michaelides told the Cyprus Mail yesterday that the mountainous communities intend to occupy the three Ministries – Interior, Trade and Finance – although “it has not yet been decided how or when” as there were still meetings to take place between members of the communities.
The communities have convoked four pan-communal meetings, two of which have already taken place in Palechori and Agros, and the other two scheduled for Kyperounta on Friday and Kakopetria on Monday.
“We are asking that the sum of £2.2 million be increased by two million to cover the consumption tax that we pay due to increased need for heating fuels,” Michaelides said.
The residents in mountainous regions (located above 600m) have also asked that the government reduce the consumption tax on heating fuel from 8 cents per litre to 1.2 cents per litre, which is the minimum that the EU recommends.
The consumption tax on heating fuel stood at 11 cents before the new government energy package was implemented on November 1, but the mountainous region residents did not consider the three cents reduction (or the £2.2 in aid) sufficient and at once began to protest.
Before submitting the energy package, Trade Minister Lillikas said that under EU law on free markets, the state cannot intervene to regulate prices, except in the case of the consumption tax on heating fuels.
Increasing fuel prices have made the winters particularly expensive for residents in the mountains. Last winter, restaurant owner Georgos Zoumis said that he spent over £800 per month to heat his home and restaurant.
“I need around 1,000 litres of petrol every 13 days, which nowadays costs over £400,” Zoumis said. “How can I meet these kinds of demands and how am I supposed to support my family when I have to pay that sort of money?”
At the moment, petrol prices are roughly 10 cents higher than they were last winter.
