The permanent closure of Melios Zoo Park, confirmed after Cyprus’s Supreme Constitutional Court rejected the owner’s final appeals, has prompted sharp responses from two political parties — with both demanding urgent answers about what happens to the animals left behind.
‘This cannot be called a success’
The Green Party of Cyprus is unequivocal: the closure is not a victory. In a statement, the party argues it exposes something more troubling — the state’s failure to act on a problem it had long known about before it reached a point of no return.
“When a case remains unresolved for years, without any meaningful intervention to improve living conditions, the final shutdown is not a solution — it is a sign of systemic failure,” the party said.
The Green Party pointed to three questions it says remain unanswered: why there was no early state intervention with a clear compliance plan; why no technical or scientific support was offered; and how the process reached its final stage without a comprehensive plan for the animals themselves.
The state was aware of the situation, the party argues — the problem was chronically documented — yet the response was characterised by delays and piecemeal action.
The party also took aim at the tone of public debate, arguing that pressure to close the zoo was not matched by equal energy devoted to workable solutions or realistic options for the animals.
“Ecology and animal welfare cannot function only as pressure mechanisms,” the statement said. “They must be accompanied by responsibility, knowledge and applicable proposals.”
On the question of the animals themselves, the Green Party warned that releasing zoo animals into the wild is neither realistic nor responsible. Most have been born in captivity, raised with human care, and lack the survival skills needed in the wild. “Release into a natural environment is not a realistic or responsible solution — it may lead to certain death or serious harm,” the party said, calling instead for a specialised relocation, care and lifelong protection plan.
The party also flagged what it described as selective sensitivity in public responses to animal welfare, noting that the intensity of reaction to the Melios case was not matched in cases of mass animal culling during epidemiological crises such as foot-and-mouth disease. “Animal protection cannot be applied selectively,” it said.
On euthanasia, the Green Party was explicit: it is not an acceptable management solution. International practice and European guidelines, it said, prioritise transfer to certified zoos, wildlife sanctuaries and conservation programmes.
Euthanasia should be considered only in exceptional cases of serious illness and incurable suffering — never as an administrative convenience. The party named five European organisations whose positions support this approach: EAZA, Eurogroup for Animals, Born Free Foundation Europe, Four Paws Europe and the RSPCA.
The Green Party said it had visited the site and signalled its willingness to help before the situation reached its current state, and called for policies that are “serious, evidence-based and responsible.” “The animals deserve real protection, planning and respect,” the statement concluded.
Animal Party: planning is already under way
The Party for the Animals Cyprus sought to reassure the public that the situation, while serious, is not without a road map. In a statement dated 9 April, the party said preliminary planning for exactly this kind of scenario had already taken place, involving all relevant state services.
The party outlined the expected division of responsibilities. The Veterinary Services would immediately assess the health of all animals and supervise any relocation. The Game and Fauna Service could take responsibility for birds and other species capable of being placed in a controlled natural environment. The Department of Agriculture, under the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, could manage productive and domesticated animals and arrange their transfer to suitable units.
For wild and exotic animals — specifically naming lions and monkeys — the party said efforts would be made in cooperation with international organisations and specialist sanctuaries to arrange transfers abroad, to European countries or Africa, where the animals could live under more suitable and natural conditions.
“The primary priority is the safety, health and welfare of all the animals,” the party said, calling on all competent authorities to proceed without delay, with responsibility and coordination. The party said it would continue to monitor developments closely and intervene wherever necessary to ensure full transparency and the genuine protection of animal rights and welfare.
“The animals must not and will not be left to their fate,” the statement closed.