With regard to the misleading article in the media by Municipal Councillor Antonis Trakkidis, we would like to state the following:

It is with regret that we observe that, once again, Mr Trakkidis is spreading misinformation, conveying incorrect messages that may often have a negative impact on citizens and on society in general. This is doubly regrettable, because Mr Trakkidis is also a Member of the Health Committee of the Municipality of Geroskipou, and yet, for the umpteenth time, instead of being properly informed by the Municipality’s officers and the Mayor, he chooses to spread alarm by citing inaccuracies while exploiting sensitive matters such as public health.

The Municipality of Geroskipou, being conscious of Environmental and Public Health Protection issues, works tirelessly every day for the well-being and quality of life of its residents. We officially state that there is no recorded incident of infection or any other illness (which would have had to be reported to the State Health Services) in the Municipality of Geroskipou caused by rodents or insects, as Mr Trakkidis wrongly allowed people to believe.

The Municipality of Geroskipou has staff who are appropriately qualified from a scientific and technical standpoint to control and combat rodents, insects and other harmful organisms. Under the Biocides Law and the Biocides (Professional Use of Biocides) Regulations of 2011, the Municipality of Geroskipou has a Licensed Crew for carrying out professional biocide application work, and it has established and systematically implements special programmes in public and other communal areas, as well as in sensitive locations such as streams, rural areas, rocky heights (caves) and the coastal front.

At the same time, it handles complaints relating to the prevention and/or control of harmful organisms and provides information or all necessary details requested by interested citizens. Programmes for the control and eradication of rodents and insects are carried out at least twice a year, including by SAPA crews, in all the pipes of the main sewerage system as well as in stormwater pipes that present specific problems.

We have excellent cooperation with the competent State Department (Department of Agriculture), which inspects every year the facilities, the equipment, the application programmes and anything else concerning the use of biocides in the Municipality of Geroskipou. The most recent inspection carried out at our Municipality by the Agrochemicals Control Branch of the Department of Agriculture was on 08 August 2019, without any observation or point of non-compliance being raised.

Finally, we stress the fact that the Municipality of Geroskipou is always at the disposal of its residents, as well as of any interested citizen, for the resolution of problems and the promotion and implementation of programmes for the benefit of Public Health.