“The president of a country—an island nation that remains energy-isolated—cannot resolve in this manner an issue that, just a few weeks ago, he himself had identified as one of this administration’s top priorities.”
‘This was the response from Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letympiotis to the daily challenge posted on social media by the leader of Direct Democracy and Member of the European Parliament, Phidias Panagiotou, in order to pressure the President of the Republic to reduce the price of electricity by 20%, even calling on him to “step in” to regulate the selling price of energy from solar farms.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
READ ALSO: Oversimplification, Misleading Claims, and Targeting: What the OEB Says About Fidias’s Proposal for a 20% Reduction in Electricity Rates
Appearing as a guest on the Alpha Summer show, he emphasized that the government does not expect instructions from anyone to take measures wherever and whenever necessary, within the framework of legality and constitutionalto help lower electricity prices and support households and businesses. She noted that the measures taken over the past three years have been targeted and cost-effective, as the government itself recognizes the need to reduce electricity prices on a permanent and lasting basis.
“We cannot oversimplify an issue that has technical aspects, and of course, we did not expect any challenges from anyone. I am certain that the motives are pure, but this is a challenge that President Christodoulides had identified from the very beginning.”
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Mr. Letympiotis explained that the government’s actions are supported by data from Eurostat, which found that by 2025 the price of electricityhad fallen by 15%. At the same time, he outlined the measures, which are based on the following pillars:
- support for households
- energy storage
- grid upgrades
- natural gas supply
- electricity interconnections
“It’s like a housewife’s grocery basket: just because one item gets cheaper—and this is an oversimplification when it comes to photovoltaics—doesn’t mean the whole basket will get cheaper. For prices to come down, the entire framework of our energy policy must be implemented.”
READ ALSO: From the “Pheidias” attack to the truth behind the numbers: What data shows the proposal for a 20% reduction in electricity prices is unfounded
As noted, energy affordability is a pan-European issue that has also been designated a national priority, with the government setting two major goals: to avoid reliance on expensive fuels and to fully harness the country’s energy potential based on measurable data.
“There are regulatory decisions; there are regulations, given that Cyprus is a member of the EU, and we are in the fortunate position of having a Competitive Electricity Market, where, wherever possible, restrictions much stricter than those in other member states have been imposed wherever possible. What is urgently needed is to modernize our country’s energy mix for the benefit of households and businesses.”
READ ALSO: The SAE responds to Pheidias: Unsubstantiated claims, general barbs, and sweeping statements regarding the 20% reduction in electricity prices
When asked whether President Christodoulides had contacted Mr. Panayiotou to convey that his proposal was unfeasible, the Government Spokesperson replied in the negative.
