Greens urge battle against GM foods

GREEN Party leader George Perdikis has written letters to all deputies calling on them to ensure Cyprus resists everything to do with genetically modified (GM) foods.

The party had been fighting against GM foods for years, saying crops would destroy the natural environment in Cyprus and would essentially be the submission of a sovereign nation to multinational and corporate global interests.

“The time has come for us to resist the import of genetically modified seeds, plants and animals to our island,” said Perdikis yesterday, adding that once the door was opened it could never again be closed.

In his letter, he asked all deputes to remain steadfast against the World Trade Organisation and the multinationals.

“It is the responsibility of all of us to live up to our responsibilities and not be scared into making concession for fear of European punishments and threats,” Perdikis added. “We have resisted for less important issues so think of our duty to the public. Ignorance with regard to genetic food should not be an excuse for cowardice.”

Last year, the European Commission quashed any the notion of Cyprus being allowed to display products with genetically modified (GM) content separately on supermarket shelves,

In a short statement from Brussels, the Commission said it decided that the notification by the government of Cyprus of draft legislation requiring GM foods to be displayed separately from non-GM foods in supermarkets was “non-admissible”.

Cyprus asked the Commission last September if the law was allowed under EU rules. The law would have obliged supermarkets to place GM foods on specially designated shelves, separate from non-GM foods.

But the EU said such legislation would be a divergence from harmonisation regulations and was not permissible.

The proposal had been put forward by the Green party, which feels that
the current labelling of controversial GM products is inadequate because they are mixed with standard products so the public is not given a clear choice.

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