Parliament has approved legislation significantly increasing penalties for animal cruelty, with offenders now facing up to two years in prison and fines of up to 20,000 euros for first convictions.
The bill, proposed by Democratic Rally (DISY) MP Savia Orphanidou, amends the Protection and Welfare of Animals Law to create stronger deterrents against animal abuse.
Under the new legislation, repeat offenders could face up to three years in prison and fines of up to 30,000 euros.
The parliamentary approval comes amid criticism over lawmakers’ recent rejection of government regulations on animal welfare.
During the debate, MPs defended their decision, arguing that the rejected regulations would not have improved animal welfare, particularly regarding cage size requirements.
Several parliamentarians described the criticism as unfair, claiming critics had not sought detailed explanations for why the regulations were rejected two weeks ago.
Lawmakers cited inadequate regulations and gaps in control and supervision, expressing hope these issues would be clarified in discussions with the Minister of Agriculture.
The bill was deemed necessary following recent incidents of animal abuse and killing that demonstrated existing penalties were insufficient to deter such crimes, parliament heard.
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