By Stefanos Evripidou
AKAMAS RESIDENTS and landowners yesterday called on the government to save the state money it does not have by foregoing compensation promised landowners in exchange for allowing for the “mild development” of the once pristine peninsula.
Spokesman for the coordinating committee of Akamas communities and land owners Savvas Hadjiminas said yesterday the committee decided after a meeting in Neo Chorio that the solution to provide compensation and exchange affected property included in the EU Natura 2000 environmental protection programme is no longer feasible.
In April 2009, the cabinet of the Demetris Christofias government decided to provide landowners with compensation or state land in exchange for limiting their right to build on any land in the Akamas peninsula included in the Natura 2000 protection areas submitted to the European Commission.
According to Hadjiminas, this solution was no longer feasible due to the dire situation of the economy, which has left state coffers empty and tied up state land, which the government is obliged to put down as collateral to the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC).
As a result, the only feasible decision that will not require using taxpayers’ money is to allow a coefficient for mild development of 8 per cent for agricultural plots and 25 per cent for tourist plots, as it was pre-1989, and allow mild sustainable development within the Natura 2000 areas, said Hadjiminas.
He further argued that in a written opinion to landowners and the agriculture ministry’s environment department, the European Commission said low-level development within Natura 2000 was permissible.
For this reason, he said, “we request that cabinet amend its decision on zero development in the Natura 2000 areas and include mild development after environmental studies by the applicants, investors, and an examination by the management committee.”
The spokesman expressed hope that the new government under President Nicos Anastasiades would be able to take a decision on the matter by the end of the year “to finally provide a just and fair solution to the Akamas issue, which will protect the forest on the one hand, biodiversity and the Akamas Peninsula, while on the other solve the problems of landowners caught up in this long-lasting problem”.
The committee also decided yesterday to request the immediate examination by state services of licence applications for the development of sustainable tourism projects across the Akamas Peninsula, including in the Natura 2000 areas.
Hadjiminas said business people were in a position to invest millions in sustainable development projects that would bring real growth to the whole of the Paphos district and hundreds of jobs.
The issue of Akamas has long been a sore point between the government, local residents, landowners, property developers and environmentalists.
Landowners and local residents have long argued that it is unfair not to allow them to develop what has become prime real estate, while conservationists counter that Akamas is one of the last truly beautiful nature spots in the government-controlled areas which is already under threat by the gradual encroachment of development, with the tolerance of the authorities.
According to the website of the agriculture ministry’s environment department, Natura 2000 includes 61 sites in Cyprus, covering protection of habitats, types of flora and fauna, and birds sites.
Regarding implementation of the relevant EU directives on Natura 2000, twelve management schemes for the protection areas identified are in the final stages of preparation, said the site.
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