We are not currently experiencing a fuel shortage, Minister of Transport Communications and Works Alexis Vafeades said, noting that preparatory work is underway and data regarding the issue in Cyprus are being recorded.
When asked to comment on the issue of fuel sufficiency, on the sidelines of the Executive Committee of the European Transport Federation meeting at SEK Building in Nicosia on 27 April, Vafeades referred to the toolkit announced by the European Commission, which is expected to help member states manage a potential crisis on the subject. “I believe we are in a position where we must stay informed about what is happening and ensure good coordination with member states and the European Commission, so that if the situation deteriorates, we can take the necessary measures.”
When asked about the measures being taken in Cyprus regarding this issue, he said that “preparatory work is underway at the strategic level, involving the compilation of all available data in Cyprus" adding that Cyprus is in a more vulnerable position compared to Central Europe, referring to the country’s lack of connectivity with other Central European nations. “We are an island. We depend on aviation and shipping. That is why we must manage the situation with those factors in mind,” he said.
He noted that developments in the Middle East are unpredictable. “This has created some problems in the fuel supply chain; we are, of course, monitoring the situation precisely so that we can take the appropriate measures in a timely manner, if possible. That is why the informal Council of Ministers held last Tuesday discussed the issue at the European level and have come up with some ideas,” he said.
Work on Larnaca Marina is proceeding
Regarding the statements made by Larnaca Mayor Andreas Vyras about the port and marina of Larnaca, the Minister of Transport specifically said that he had a different agreement on the matter with Vyras, adding that they had agreed that “the issue would follow a specific implementation path and that by the end of the month they would present the results of the study regarding land development.”
He noted that they would then allow two months for the study to be completed and that they will continue to work toward this direction, to produce results and to move forward with the project’s implementation.
“It is our job to move it forward, and that is the government’s intention—to move it forward. And if there was a delay in this study, the responsibility lies with me; I understand that. I apologise to Larnaca, but that doesn’t mean we have the right to delay this project any further," he said.
(Source: CNA)
