Nicosia: European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jorgensen emphasized the importance of unity and coordinated efforts to tackle the energy crisis, following a meeting with Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides at the Presidential Palace. The meeting, also attended by Finance Minister Makis Keravnos and Energy, Commerce and Industry Minister Michalis Damianos, highlighted the challenges faced by European citizens due to the ongoing crisis.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Commissioner Jorgensen underscored the necessity of European coordination to mitigate the adverse effects of the energy crisis. He advocated for the increased use of renewable energy sources to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. The Commissioner also addressed housing-related issues, including the impact of short-term rentals.
During his visit, Jorgensen expressed the urgency of collaboration, stating, "We need to stand shoulder to shoulder and coordinate our efforts to try to address these extremely negative consequences for many of our citizens." He stressed the importance of integrating more renewables into energy systems to achieve independence from fossil fuels.
The Commissioner also highlighted the significance of housing on the European agenda, noting, "Housing is also a very important issue, not only for me but also for Cyprus, so I'm very, very happy that the Presidency has chosen to put this high on the agenda." He mentioned upcoming discussions with ministers to tackle challenges within the housing sector in Europe.
Additionally, Jorgensen addressed the issue of short-term rentals, expressing concern over their impact on local communities and housing prices. He stated, "We want to make it easier for member states to address the problem of short-term rentals that are crowding ordinary people out of their neighbourhoods and that are unfortunately also leading to a major increase in prices in many places."