In a memorandum addressed to the President of the Republic, Nicos Christodoulides, the organizers of Saturday’s pan-Cypriot protest over electricity prices.
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ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
As stated in the memorandum, “the pan-Cypriot protest calling for a reduction in electricity prices expresses a just social demand with a common goal: ‘no household and no small or medium-sized business should be deprived of basic necessities due to unaffordable energy costs.’”
Electricity, it adds, is not a luxury; it is a basic prerequisite for a decent standard of living and social well-being, “however, its cost continues to place a significant burden on household budgets and the competitiveness of local businesses.”
It should be noted that, according to official data from the Statistical Service, the harmonized consumer price index in Cyprus exceeded 5% in August 2026 compared to the same month in 2025. Particularly alarming is the 15% increase in the energy category.
“For a worker earning the minimum wage, electricity bills, rent, food, and transportation absorb a significant portion of disposable income,” the memorandum states, adding that the actual financial burden on a household in Cyprus in 2026 is that the EAC’s bimonthly bill amounts to 295 euros for 1,000 kWh.
At the same time, it continues, Cypriot citizens “are being punished for policies for which they are not responsible—for the high cost of electricity generation, expensive fuels, renewable energy sources without storage, high VAT, and a government that limits itself to temporary and inadequate half-measures for consumers.”
The memorandum states that “we demand a permanent reduction of VAT to 5%, a revision of the pricing of emissions allowances, an immediate, targeted subsidy from emissions revenue for vulnerable households and investment in the grid, a readjustment of pricing to take advantage of low renewable energy prices, targeted support for vulnerable households and small and medium-sized enterprises, the immediate installation of energy storage batteries, transparency in the process of adjusting production costs, grid costs, and supply costs, and effective measures to limit energy costs and profiteering, where documented.”
At the same time, the memorandum notes that “we demand that electricity and fuel be recognized as basic necessities. We demand, with immediate effect: a permanent reduction of the VAT rate to 5%, more flexible base load units, transparent electricity interconnections, natural gas without delays, renewable energy sources with adequate storage, substantive long-term strategic planning, market liberalization, an end to cartels, and the promotion of genuine competition, market restructuring with real options for affordable electricity for households, mandatory transparency, regular updates on prices, and the benefits of renewable energy sources.”
Source: KYPE
