The installation of a 14.3-kilometre underground cable in the Paphos forest marks the first step in a long-term plan to reduce or eliminate fire risks linked to electricity cables, Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou said on Tuesday.

In a post on X, Panayiotou expressed gratitude to the president of the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) Giorgos Petrou, the authority’s board of directors, and its staff for initiating the project.

“This project represents the first step of an ambitious and long-term plan to drastically reduce or eliminate fire risks in our forests caused by EAC cables,” she said.

The minister described the project as the initial tangible outcome of a coordinated effort involving the EAC, the forestry department, the Fire Service, and the Game Fund.

She also stressed the importance of close collaboration among all stakeholders in implementing such initiatives.