IT’S NOT big enough for the environmentalists and it’s not small enough for the local villagers. No one, it seems, is happy with the final boundaries of the Akamas peninsula in Paphos district, which have been submitted to the European Commission for inclusion in the Natura 2000 network.
Many of the mukhtars in the area have expressed their displeasure with the decision, claiming they were left in the dark throughout the decision-making process.
The move was announced over the weekend by Agriculture Minister Demetris Eliades, who said a ministerial committee had reviewed the plan to manage Akamas, a region of exceptional natural beauty.
The map delineating the boundaries of this area was sent to the EU Commission on March 26 and was also published in the official gazette of the Republic of Cyprus.
Cyprus had been in the firing line from the EU and has even faced court action for dragging its heels over the final designation of protected areas. The state has been in hot water with the Commission for not including enough Natura 2000 sites for birds and wildlife, which fall under the EU birds’ directive (79/409/EEC).
The recent meeting at the Agriculture Ministry was presided over by Eliades and included the Interior Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis, Communications Minister Erato Kozakou Marcoullis and other officials and staff.
Local community leaders say they were not informed about the meeting and have threatened to challenge the decision.
Meanwhile, Cypriot environmental groups have been strongly voicing their objections to the state plans for the Akamas, among other areas, which they say do not go far enough or provide ample areas to ensure the correct preservation of wildlife, flora and fauna and areas of natural beauty.
Eliades announced that the proposed boundaries set by the EC had been published in the official newspaper of the state and had now been confirmed. The minister was quick to point out that procedures are under way to enable the landowners of the affected area to exchange their land with the state or receive cash compensation.
But this has done little to appease landowners, who say they were not informed over recent developments and their views and opinions haven’t been taken into account.
Savvas Charalambous, the leader of the community in Inia village said, “We will go to the courts to get our rights.”
He also mentioned that his community had not been informed about the meeting at the ministry and added that areas designated a development zones had now somehow been included in the Natura project. He called on the government to take action and “not stand there with its arms folded”.
Mukhtar of Arodes village, Mattheous Stephanou, complained that his community hadn’t been given a fair deal, and their objections have received a negative response.
“This now means landowners aren’t able to use their own land,” he said.
He expressed his disgust at the “ministry’s tactics” and added that mukhtars in the entire Akamas area had not been fully informed about the recent meeting.
He insisted that the boundaries of the Natura 2000 area should’ve been closer to the forest.
Stelios Koupparis the president of the local authorities in Droushia village said, “My community was not informed in any way about the ministerial committee meeting.”
He added their objections had been ignored and that all the government involved in the problem over the years, had not on any way stood by the communities of the Akamas.
Menelos Tourvas the mukhtar of Kathikas village said the communities are “not in agreement with the ministry over the designated boundaries” and that “Kathikas will use all its possible means so as to fight for its rights”.
The thorny issue of the Akamas plan has been a source of conflict over the years for the state, environmentalists and landowners of the area, who are now effectively prohibited from developing their land.
The European Commission had sent a final warning to Cyprus after three areas, including the Akamas, had failed to be designated as a protected area or Natura 2000 site for birds. Six other sites, which had been designated as Special Protected Areas (SPAs) failed to meet the criteria, set out on size and were found not to cover a large enough area. Nicosia was given two months to scientifically justify its position.
“Cyprus is making a big environmental and ecological effort to protect the environment and ensure that the communities, the residents and the people in the area will remain in the region and that development will take place with respect to the environment,” the Minister said.
The committee, he said, discussed ways involving the exchange of land, amendments to building regulations and compensation to property owners.
