Akamas park plan under fire as environmental groups allege violations

Environmental organisations intensified criticism on Monday over the management of the Akamas peninsula, accusing the forestry department and the agriculture ministry of sustained inaction and continued breaches of legally binding environmental conditions.

In a joint statement, BirdLife Cyprus, Terra Cypria and the Cyprus federation of environmental organisations described the Akamas national forest park as “a vast construction site” nearly two and a half years after works began under the sustainable development plan, arguing that “decisions are made but not implemented, violations are identified but have no consequences and the state’s commitments remain unfulfilled”.

The dispute centres on the first phase of the park’s road network, launched in September 2022 to allow for controlled visitor access in one of the island’s most ecologically sensitive areas.

Environmental groups first raised concerns in October 2023, when they reported what they described as serious deviations from approved environmental terms during construction works.

Those findings prompted presidential intervention and the cabinet calling for reassessment in December 2023 to reduce the project’s environmental footprint.

The organisations argue that, despite these directives, “none of these commitments have been implemented” to date.

“The ministry’s silence can no longer be perceived as a simple delay,” the groups stressed, adding that repeated correspondence sent since mid-2024 requesting updates on timelines and compliance had received no response.

Particular concern is raised over the handling of accountability mechanisms.

According to the organisations, three administrative investigations and one disciplinary inquiry into the reported violations have been completed, yet none have been made public.

“Despite assurances of transparency, no responsibility has been attributed,” they said, questioning both the outcome and the absence of disclosure.

The forestry department is directly accused of “systematically ignoring” recommendations from other competent authorities, including positions put forward by environmental experts, the audit office and parliamentary committees during earlier stages of scrutiny.

The organisations cite as a recent example the road between the baths of Aphrodite to the Fontana Amorosa beach, where access restrictions had been agreed under environmental terms, but authorities are now alleged to be pursuing further widening works.

They argue that such actions undermine the legal framework governing the project and contribute to ongoing environmental degradation within protected habitats.

“The result is an Akamas that remains an open construction site,” the statement said, pointing to the operation of unauthorised kiosks and the absence of formal nature protection decrees, which had been expected by the end of 2024.

The Akamas peninsula was designated as part of the EU’s Natura 2000 network, making it subject to strict environmental assessment procedures.

The sustainable development plan was intended to formalise management through infrastructure such as controlled road access, visitor facilities and conservation measures, but its implementation has repeatedly faced delays and opposition.

Environmental groups have previously described the forestry department’s approach as “arrogant” and resistant to acknowledging errors following the suspension of works in 2023, while multiple bodies, including independent experts and state institutions, have identified breaches of environmental approval terms.

The organisations maintain that failure to address these issues risks causing “irreversible” damage to sensitive landscapes.

“The responsibility for the current situation lies primarily with the forestry department,” they said, “but the responsibility for delays and lack of enforcement lies instead with the agriculture ministry”.

They call for the immediate implementation of all legally binding environmental conditions, completion of the reassessment process for the broader development plan and full transparency regarding investigative findings.

They also urge political authorities to “take immediate measures to reduce environmental impacts before the damage becomes irreversible”.