A shocking event on Chloraka beach has led to new laws in Cyprus. This happened after some workers were seen treating a dead sea turtle badly. The government will now make sure there are clear rules. They will also add punishments for hurting dead animals.
The incident happened on January 12th. Four workers were filmed kicking a dead sea turtle. They then threw it away. A tourist from Austria took the video. The video quickly went online. Many people were very angry and upset. The workers were employees of the local council.
The Chairman of the Environment Committee, Charalambos Theopemptou, said there was a problem. He stated, "There is a gap in laws and training for local staff." A study is now happening for the four workers. Their ages are between 22 and 58. They could be warned or fired. The police are also looking at the case.
This event is a reason for big changes. MP Marina Nikolaou said the public felt "disgust and anger." She also said it was worse because they were local workers. The committee will review environmental laws quickly. They want to fix the "grey zone" for dead animals. The workers may have lacked training and equipment.
Animal groups are happy about the new laws. However, they worry about animal cruelty on the island. They also say the Animal Police are not always active. The committee meetings will discuss these problems. They want to create better laws for animal welfare in Cyprus. This could be a turning point for animal protection.