THE INTERIOR Minister said yesterday that the location of the new Larnaca-Famagusta waste disposal plant could not be changed.
He was speaking as a new demonstration by Lymbia residents passed off without any disturbance.
Villagers yesterday protested against the construction of the waste disposal plant for the second day running. They plan to block the Nicosia-Larnaca highway on Sunday.
On Thursday, 13 people, including eight policemen, were injured and 12 people were arrested as police clashed with protesters who refused to allow vehicles from the construction company to enter the building site.
Interior Minister Neoclis Silikiotis said yesterday that the plant could not be moved due to the danger of losing the grant provided by the EU.
“There is no point in talking about the past now. There is no chance that the site of the plant can be moved, as we run the risk of losing the money given to us by the European Union. Therefore, I cannot make a decision like this, which would result in the Cypriot government losing money, something that would then affect the taxpayer,” he said.
Acting Community leader of the village of Lymbia, Michalis Georgiou, responded to comments from Silikiotis that the community had given the green light for the construction of the waste disposal plant in exchange for assistance from the government.
“There were proposals handed to us by the Minister, but suggestions that we have agreed to them are totally incorrect. We have not agreed for the plant in return for money or any other sort of assistance,” he said.
Georgiou was furious that the government had moved the initial plans for the landfill from the area between Athienou and Aradippou, claiming the location was changed after pressure from residents there.
“Research was carried out which indicated that the best site for such a plant was between Athienou and Aradippou. I do not know how things happened exactly, but after pressure on the government they decided to change the location. This indicates to us that whoever applies the most pressure gets his way in the end,” he said.
Yesterday’s protest led by the Lymbia village council involved a talk by Environmental Engineer Michalis Loizides, who explained all the environmental aspects of the creation of the disposal plant; residents and school children then moved to the construction site, while all lessons at the Lymbia village primary school were interrupted so the children could join in the demonstrations.
A police presence was not required.
Police Chief Charalambos Koulendis yesterday hit back at allegations that his men had used excessive force on Thursday. Coulendis called on anybody who claimed that police officers had done any wrongdoing to examine the videos taken at the scene.
Silikiotis said the government would try and help the community as much as possible, but the acting Community leader added that the villagers were determined and had no intention of calling off their actions.
“We are being treated unfairly and will not stop until we are vindicated. We will continue our protests by blocking off the highway on Sunday. We call on all villagers to stand by us and hope that we do not cause the public too many problems,” Georgiou said.
