Politico Questions Kadis Over Illegal Waste Disposal at Pentakomo Plant
EU Funding Misuse at Pentakomo Waste Plant Raises Concerns Amid Kadis' Nomination for EU Commissioner
The European news website Politico has highlighted the case of the Pentakomo Waste Treatment Plant in connection with the candidacy of former Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Environment, Costas Kadis, for the position of EU Commissioner for Oceans and Fisheries in the next European Commission.
According to the report, Mr. Kadis received the findings of an investigative committee on February 5, 2023, just before the presidential elections and the end of his term. The report revealed that for years, illegal waste disposal had been taking place at a project funded by the EU with over €46 million.
When asked by Politico to comment on the issue and how he handled it after receiving the report, Mr. Kadis declined to respond.
The Cyprus News Agency also reached out to Mr. Kadis for a comment on the report, but the Commissioner candidate chose not to make any statements.
The article comes at a time when hearings of the Commissioner candidates before the relevant parliamentary committees of the European Parliament are set to take place soon. It is anticipated that Mr. Kadis will appear before the Fisheries Committee (PECH), and possibly the Environment, Public Health, and Food Safety Committee (ENVI).
The report states that the EU funding for the Pentakomo Waste Treatment Plant was provided to Cyprus under the condition that the waste would be used to create fuel, provided that the government found buyers. However, as this was not achieved, the waste was instead buried, violating EU regulations.
The findings, cited by Politico, claim that the government was aware before the project's launch that the waste could not be used to produce the type of fuel agreed upon, yet it still signed the agreement with the EU. As a result, approximately 60% of the waste was buried.
Politico notes that while Mr. Kadis was not involved when the project began, the illegal disposal of waste continued during his five-year tenure as Minister. The report raises questions about how long he had been aware of the situation and whether any action was taken.
