JUST A few protesters gathered outside Parliament yesterday morning where they set fire to electricity bills in protest over high electricity prices.
“We’re not focusing on the numbers but the point is that we’re not giving up,” said Helen Pierides, one of the protesters.
An initial demonstration took place last week islandwide, however despite the disappointing turnout with only about 20 turning up for the event outside the EAC in Nicosia, a second protest was organised.
The ongoing protests are being organised jointly by two Facebook groups: One Voice-Facebook Group against the EAC and End Unfair Electricity of Cyprus Monopoly, who have garnered over 8,000 members between them.
Questioned as to why there was such a poor turnout again, Pierides said that “Cypriots have not paid enough bills yet. We need to wait and see what’s going to happen once a second and third bill has come,” she added.
Electricity prices of late have spiked, mainly due to a 6.96 per cent surcharge imposed after the island’s main power plant was crippled after a munitions blast last July. A recent Eurostat survey revealed that in 2011 consumers in Cyprus paid the highest prices in the Eu for electricty.
A third protest will take place on Sunday from 10am to 12pm outside the EAC’s downtown office in Nicosia.
Meanwhile, the Greens accused the EAC yesterday of trying to mislead the public concerning the right reasons as to why the cost of electricity has increased.
“The EAC, with various inaccuracies, has tried to mislead the public on the actual reasons behind the soaring costs of electricity in Cyprus,” they said.
More than 50 per cent of the hikes are as a result of the July 11 naval base blast and the way the EAC has chosen to address the island’s power needs, they said, by mainly using expensive mazout to produce electricity.
According to the Greens, in comparison to last year the fuel adjustment on EAC bills has risen by 218 per cent instead of 40 per cent, based on fuel prices.
“The EAC’s bad choices have held Cyprus and its economy hostage to oil prices and this along with the EAC has created barriers in the development of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) that could have already covered a large part of power production without pollution and fines,” they said.
