Animal Party Cyprus criticizes BirdLife Cyprus over parliamentary protest absence

On September 19, 2026, the Animal Party Cyprus publicly criticized the BirdLife Cyprus organization for its decision to abstain from a demonstration held outside the House of Representatives. The protest, which took place on September 16, was organized to support environmental activists following discussions in the Parliamentary Committee on the Environment regarding the actions of environmental groups.

According to the Animal Party, their leadership communicated with a BirdLife Cyprus official prior to the event. The organization allegedly declined to participate due to concerns regarding the expected public turnout and the perceived communication impact of the protest. The Animal Party argues that the defense of wildlife and the fight against poaching should not be evaluated based on the number of participants, especially when 18 civil society organizations have formally aligned on the issue.

In response to this development, the Animal Party has contacted its European partners, including the Animal Politics Foundation (APF) and collaborating members of the European Parliament, to provide updates on the situation regarding environmental advocacy and the current legislative scrutiny of activists in Cyprus.