The Mari explosion was not an isolated incident

The explosion at Mari in July 2011, which caused the death of 13 people, was a pivotal moment. For the first time, thousands of people took to the streets, for days, sending strong messages to the then government, which remained in power, but paid the price and the party that supported it never managed to shake off the responsibility and heal the wounds left by the management of the tragedy.

A recent fire, which burned 125 square kilometers in 17 villages, caused incalculable damage, deaths and a huge ecological disaster. The lack of timely and effective response highlights the absence of meaningful lessons from the past.

It's not July's fault, nor the bad timing. Cyprus does not have the vast expanses of Canada, nor do the areas of Limassol have the difficult access of the mountains of Spain or Greece. We could have the means and take preventive measures, assessing the risks from climate change. But the government's priorities are different.

Despite assurances of readiness, the shortcomings in firefighting equipment and personnel are obvious. Also, the issue of illegal landfills and the lack of coordination between the responsible services remains unresolved.

The funds for damage restoration could be allocated to prevention. We need actions immediately, not words.