Residents of Fyti village in Paphos have sent a letter of protest to the ministers of interior and energy, demanding a halt to plans for multiple photovoltaic parks close to their homes.

They accuse the local community council and community leader Kyriakos Sotiriou of approving the solar projects without informing or consulting the villagers. In their letter, the residents warn they will take “all necessary measures” to stop the developments.

The letter claims that between five and seven permits have either been granted or are under review for photovoltaic parks around Fyti. Some residents fear there may be even more. Many of the affected plots reportedly belong to the Church and the Diocese of Paphos.

The villagers say they only learned of the plans about ten days ago. They insist that neither residents, expatriates, nor other landowners had any prior knowledge of these developments.

Several of the planned parks are very close to the village, the letter explains. Some are on the edge of the residential zone, while others are as close as 100 or 180 metres from homes, including along the main roads leading into the village.

Residents argue the solar parks would block the expansion of the residential zone, harm the traditional look of the village, and damage its natural scenery. Fyti is known for its traditional stone architecture and rural landscape, which locals say they have been working hard to preserve.

Environmental concerns are also raised. The villagers describe Fyti as an important refuge for migratory birds like swallows and bee-eaters, which pass through Cyprus twice a year. They also mention wildlife activity at night, with animals crossing farmland in search of water.

A major worry is the planned installation of an eight-kilometre overhead power cable. The cable would connect Fyti’s new solar parks to the substation in Polemi village, running through agricultural land. Residents believe this infrastructure would cause further environmental harm and make their area more attractive to solar energy companies, changing the village’s identity.

Fyti has a long history stretching back eight centuries. Locals are proud of their village’s cultural heritage, including its weaving, which appears on Unesco’s intangible cultural heritage list and attracts visitors.

Residents fear the solar parks will ruin their efforts to revive the village and encourage people to live there again after decades of urban migration. 

“The installation of photovoltaic parks in a small community will be disastrous for the development of the village and the countryside,” they warn. 

The government has yet to respond publicly to the villagers’ demands.