Forestry dept criticised as ‘arrogant’ over Akamas roadworks

Environmental organisations have lambasted the forestry department’s jubilation over the Akamas report that gave the green light for roadworks to proceed as “arrogant” and “provocative”.

Terra Cypria, BirdLife Cyprus, Cyprus Wildlife Society and Cyprus Natural Coastline issued a stinging press release on Thursday, following a forestry department statement on Wednesday saying it felt “satisfied and justified” over the re-evaluation of works in the Akamas national forest park and the publication of the environmental authority’s report earlier this month.

In a separate press release, the Cyprus Environmental Movement said it had prepared a memorandum for President Nikos Christodoulides, in which it pointed out that damage already done was hard to be reversed and called for all administrative reports to be made public.

On August 12, the environment department said it had green-lit the recommencement of the stalled road works within the Akamas national forest park, saying it had complied with all the environmental conditions set out. This would allow roadworks on the peninsula to restart after they were halted in October 2023 in the wake of fierce criticism, aimed at the forestry department in particular.

“The arrogance and provocation that the forestry department continues to show is truly impressive,” the environmental organisations said.

They explained that the forestry department had “violated a multitude of legally binding and essential conditions of the environmental approval for both the Akamas national forest park sustainable development plan and phase A of improvements to the road network”.

“Since October 2023, the forestry department has been refusing to admit the serious mistakes it had made and the huge responsibilities it bears, which led to the halting of construction works and an open worksite in the heart of the Akamas peninsula,” they said.

As a result, they added, there have been “serious delays in both the re-evaluation and the completion of the phase A works”.

The four organisations pointed out that everyone involved, with the exception of the forestry department, have identified violations of environmental approval terms.

Among those that identified the violations were Etek, independent experts, the Audit Office, the House environmental committee, the president of the Republic and the cabinet.

“It makes one wonder why exactly the forestry department feels ‘fully satisfied and justified’ by the re-evaluation of the works for the Akamas national forest park,” the organisations said.

Terra Cypria, BirdLife Cyprus, Cyprus Wildlife Society and Cyprus Natural Coastline list a number of changes, for which the forestry department should not feel justified.

Water pipes on the Toxeftra beach

These include the demolition of support walls along protected landforms, the removal of the water pipeline along the road from Aspros Potamos through Toxeftra to Lara and the total re-evaluation of water supply works leading to Avakas.

“Instead of insisting on not admitting any mistake, we would at least expect the forestry department to consider and acknowledge, even now, the mistakes it has made and the responsibilities it bears. It would be wiser to acknowledge the environmental damage it has caused and proceed to restore it, ensuring the conservation objectives and the integrity of Natura 2000 areas,” the organisations said.

They also called on the agriculture minister to “stop tolerating the forestry department’s unacceptable stance, unless of course she agrees with it”.

The organisations also call on minister Maria Panayiotou to make public the findings of all administrative and disciplinary investigations regarding Akamas.

In a separate press release, the Cyprus Environmental Movement said the memorandum for Christodoulides points out that those who handled the works in Akamas with devastating consequences, were monitoring the compliance terms.

“They cannot do this,” the movement said and called for the punishment of those involved in the works.

It said that “inestimable damage” had already been caused to the environment.

“Experience shows that environmental destruction and alteration of the surrounding area, as in this case, cannot be restored, especially if the authorities that handled the works in the past – which were the cause of the devastating consequences – will once again be responsible for monitoring the compliance terms,” it said.

“After three administrative investigations, which unfortunately remain a seven-sealed secret, your government should have make them public, point to those responsible for the monstrosities and assign responsibilities to the designers of the works and those who were responsible for overseeing them,” the organisation told the president.

It also calls on the president and his government to guarantee full transparency for Akamas-related issues and launch a dialogue for the protection of habitats and the environment and to support the residents of the area.

In its report earlier this month, the environment department said the reduction of the environmental footprint “is secured by the setting in motion of the next actions” to be taken relating to the first phase of the road works in the Akamas forest.

The first phase of the road works in Akamas got underway in September 2022, but were put on hold in October 2023 following reactions from environmental groups.

In December of the same year, the cabinet ordered a reassessment of the works. Later, in March 2024, a special ecological assessment (SEA) was issued, a detailed study for projects near or within Natura 2000 network areas, focusing on potential impacts to protected species and habitats.

Back in November 2023, environmental NGO Terra Cypria had documented several violations of the sustainable development plan.