Dialogos

Mayor Criticizes Waste Disposal Tax as Punishment for Government Failures

Published February 11, 2026, 09:02
Mayor Criticizes Waste Disposal Tax as Punishment for Government Failures

The Mayor of Aradippou, Kyriakos Xydias, strongly criticized the government's intention to impose a landfill tax, describing it as a punishment for citizens due to the government's own shortcomings. He argued that the tax discourages the creation of material and energy recovery infrastructure, while the state has failed to create the necessary infrastructure or fund municipalities for source separation. Mr. Xydias accused the Ministry of Agriculture of ineffective waste management, burying 80% of waste, and attempting to shift responsibility to municipalities and consumers through taxation. The tax starts at 10 euros per ton and will increase annually, reaching 60-70 euros per ton by 2035. The Mayor emphasized that this tax is a Cyprus obligation to the EU under the Recovery Fund, but the timing is unacceptable. The Union of Municipalities will submit a proposal for reaction and warned of potential responses.