The parliament has rejected Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis’s attempt to implement new regulations for the control of Easter bonfires (lampatzies) this year.
Disagreements with the Union of Municipalities are also preventing the immediate enactment of the draft law.
The revised text of the bill was discussed today in the House Legal Affairs Committee, with Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis making a final effort to have the new legislation passed and implemented before this Easter.
Despite a narrowing of differences with the Union of Municipalities, the main sticking point remains who will grant permission for organising a bonfire.
The Union of Municipalities essentially wants the police and the fire service to issue the permits, as they will be called upon to approve the conditions. This is not desired by the Ministry of Justice.
Another point of contention is the timing of the new legislation’s implementation. The Ministry of Justice wants immediate implementation, while the municipalities and communities prefer it to come into effect from 1 January 2026.
Given these circumstances and the parliamentary rule requiring bills to be submitted to the Plenary Session 48 hours in advance, the acting chairwoman of the Legal Affairs Committee, Fotini Tsiridou, concluded the discussion with the issue remaining unresolved. The bill remains in limbo and will not be voted on tomorrow.
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