Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the General Assembly of the Cyprus Hotel Association, Keravnos emphasized that Cyprus is obliged to implement these environmental taxes due to previous commitments.

He noted that the deadline for implementing green taxation is set for May, and the government is now ready, awaiting what he described as a "final touch on compensatory measures" before finalizing the legislative proposals.

Keravnos also stated that the green taxation measures and the corresponding compensatory measures will be announced simultaneously.

Additionally, he announced that a presentation on tax reform will take place on February 26, marking the beginning of its implementation process. He pointed out that the tax reform will include provisions related to the green transition. The new environmental taxes, set to be introduced in May, will include levies on fuel, water, and waste.

According to a statement from AKEL, these taxes were initially pledged by the previous Anastasiades-DISY administration through the Recovery and Resilience Fund, despite not being an obligation under European agreements.

The statement further criticizes the current government under President Nikos Christodoulides for not renegotiating these environmental taxes, even after revising and resubmitting the Recovery and Resilience Plan. It argues that this failure to seek renegotiation disregards the financial hardships faced by households and small businesses, amid rising living costs and energy poverty.

AKEL asserts that the public should be aware that green taxation is not a European Union requirement. The party calls on the government to seek a revision of the measure and halt its implementation.