The site for a Joint Operations Centre at Vasiliko has been selected and procedures are under way for its establishment, operation and staffing, the Justice and Public Order Ministry said on Thursday.
The announcement followed a second meeting chaired by the Ministers of Justice and Energy on the establishment of the Centre in the Vasiliko area, which the Ministry said has now entered the implementation phase.
The aim is to strengthen security and improve cooperation among all relevant services at the Vasiliko Energy Centre, described as ‘one of the most important critical infrastructure sites of the Republic of Cyprus.’
Staff from the services involved will be based at the Centre, providing a common operational picture and enabling an immediate and coordinated response to any incident.
It was also agreed to draw up an Action Plan and establish a Coordinating Committee, comprising one representative from each relevant service. The Police will coordinate the Committee, convene regular meetings and monitor the implementation of decisions and the progress of the work.
According to the announcement, the Vasiliko Energy Centre will be treated operationally as a single area, covering security and protection, health and safety, civil protection and environmental protection.
The overall planning will cover security on land, at sea and in the air, as well as the prevention and response to pollution incidents, including marine pollution, and rapid response in the event of an emergency.
The Ministry said the objective is to create a single, functional mechanism with clearly defined responsibilities and continuous monitoring of its implementation, aimed at protecting human life, the environment and the area’s critical infrastructure.