The Government’s decision on Akamas raised before the Commission

                                                                                      

 

Statement of AKEL Members of the European Parliament

13th January 2016

The decision of the Ministerial Council with regards the Akamas region was raised today before the European Commission by AKEL MEPs N. Sylikiotis and T. Hadjigeorgiou. More specifically, AKEL stressed that such a decision would promote the interests of a few privileged large landowners against the interests of society in general and would be disastrous for the protected area.

In a written question sent by the two AKEL MEPs the European Commission is called upon to answer what action it intends to take to protect the region of Akamas which is a unique ecosystem with immense environmental significance for both Cyprus and the EU.

The AKEL MEPs informed the European Commission that on 11th January 2016 the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Cyprus, before there is final Management Plan for the Akamas region, decided to adopt the proposals of an Inter-Ministerial Commission, which pave the way for construction development within the protected area of ​​Akamas. The AKEL MEPs made a specific reference to the decision to exclude private properties from the “National Forest Park”, as well as to the decision to elaborate a new town planning Plan for the protected area of ​​the Akamas region which stays outside the Park.

We recall that the AKEL MEPs had raised the issue before the European Commission in November 2015, warning about the proposals of the Inter-Ministerial Commission and the dangers that were looming.