Cyprus parliamentary committee debates regulation of photovoltaic parks on agricultural land

The Cyprus parliamentary committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources convened on October 20, 2026, to address the contentious implementation of a law restricting the installation of commercial photovoltaic parks on fertile and irrigated agricultural land. This legislation, enacted on May 5, 2026, explicitly prohibits large-scale renewable energy installations in protected zones, including areas under land consolidation, Natura 2000 sites, and government-irrigated zones.

The debate highlights a significant institutional clash between the legislature and the government. Although the President of the Republic initially sent the bill back to Parliament citing constitutional concerns regarding the separation of powers and property rights, the House of Representatives rejected the referral, forcing the law into effect. Environmental groups and farmers have condemned the previous uncontrolled development as detrimental to the primary sector.

Currently, there is significant uncertainty regarding how to manage approximately 115 pending planning applications currently held by the Department of Town Planning and Housing and various District Local Government Organizations. Environmental organizations are calling for retroactive application of the law and stricter zoning regulations for future projects, emphasizing that state-owned land should not be allocated for commercial renewable energy development.