Cyprus parliamentary committee debates civil protection reform

On October 8, 2026, the Cypriot Parliamentary Committee on Internal Affairs began discussing legislation to rename the Ministry of Interior to the 'Ministry of Interior and Civil Protection'. The reform aims to establish a National Civil Protection Mechanism to manage crises like wildfires, earthquakes, and floods. This system, which provides for a National Coordinator with operational authority, follows a cabinet decision from June 4, 2025, and follows multiple destructive wildfires, including those in Solea, Arakapas, and mountainous Limassol. The proposal involves integrating the Fire Service into the new ministry, while plans to include the Forestry Department have been shelved for now. The bill also allows the National Guard to assist during disasters, provided that national defense capabilities remain unaffected.

The initiative has faced resistance from the Ministry of Defense and the National Guard, which argue that the mechanism should fall directly under the Council of Ministers rather than a specific ministry. The Defense Ministry suggests a more comprehensive approach covering all threats, including cybersecurity. Following the initial debate, the committee granted government agencies until the end of the month to consult and resolve these disagreements. Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou stated that the full evolution of the ministry and staff recruitment could take one to two years, though the mechanism could become operational immediately after the bill is passed.