Akamas Protection Plan

VILLAGE COMMUNITIES in the Akamas Peninsular are up in arms over a plan that would see them lose the right to develop a considerable part of their properties for tourism.

Under the Akamas Plan, which is reportedly in its final stages and is set for approval before he Cabinet, areas of land belonging to citizens from villages in Paphos such as Inia and Kathikas, will be incorporated into nature reserves and national parks as well as a designated Natura 2000 area, part of an EU Directive.

The village communities are furious with the government for not consulting them and for what hey see as an unwillingness to discuss the issue with them, leaving them in the dark.

“We have simply not been informed. They are taking everything away from us and giving us nothing. The results for our community will be catastrophic,” Community leader for the village of Inia, Savvas Charalambous, told the Cyprus Mail yesterday.

The community of Inia will be he worst affected village in he area and according to the Community leader, only four per cent of the private property will be available for development.

“We have 1,500 donums in the Lara area which were meant for ourist development and another 25,000 for agricultural development. These areas will become part of the protected Akamas area,” he said.

Charalambous added that his community did not accept the plan while claimed the changes from last year’s proposal were minimal and related to a tiny percentage of the agricultural land.

Menelaos Tourvas, Community leader for the village of Kathikas, said his community was not totally against the plan, but definitely had their own grievances.

“The community of Kathikas is not opposed to the national parks; I can safely say we are environmentalists, more so than other people who claim to be. However we cannot accept the plan because the areas of land aken from Kathikas are too large,” he said.

According to Tourvas, around 40 per cent of the private land from Kathikas will become protected areas, with half of his area being declared a Natura 2000 site and the other half a protected zone.

“We call on the government to minimise the damage to our village as we will be losing any chance of getting our land back if it is included in these nature reserves,” he said.

The Greens announced that they would not accept any concessions made which sacrificed the well-being of the environment.

“Any form of compensation within reason, any subsidies or economic measures possible should be given, but we will not accept any concessions regarding he necessary parameters for the protection of the environment,” he Greens claimed.

The leader of the Green Party was adamant however that the areas which would be affected did need special attention and said “they should not be victimised”.

The government has been discussing designating the Akamas area as a Natura 2000 site for years. The move would make it a protected area, but would not protect it completely from any sort of development.

At the moment, there are 16 areas throughout the island that have been drawn up as Natura 2000 sites, with the government only designating seven of these sites. One of the areas which has not been designated is the Akamas Peninsula.

Martin Hellicar, the Executive Manager of Birdlife Cyprus, has warned that Cyprus will ultimately face sanctions if it does not comply with its environmental obligations.

“Cyprus is currently failing to meet its obligations under the Habitat and Bird Directives which should have been met upon accession back in May 2004. Unless the government moves ahead fast and designates more sites, they will face EU Court action, resulting in the axpayer paying a possible fine,” he told the Mail yesterday.

With the issue of Akamas affecting these villages for some time, Hellicar said that his would not mean the end of ourist development.

“Designating an area a Natura 2000 site could attract a different model of tourism. Hopefully with some imagination and proper planning, the area could bring in the high-quality ourism we are always talking about,” he added.

Agriculture Minister Fotis Fotiou has said that the villagers will not be left out and everything can be solved hrough discussions.

“I will hold a meeting with all he councils of the villages which will be affected on the issue.

However, I must reiterate that he Akamas situation cannot be delayed any further,” he said
“Correct development will be for he good for everyone involved, plans will be under way to help not only the development of hese villages, but it will be an advantage for Cypriots and he tens of thousands of ourists visiting our island every year,” Fotiou added.

Charalambous however said that hey would not wait for the Minister and were committed to opposing the Plan which he labelled ‘disastrous’ for Inia.

“Next week we will go to the District Office and then we will protest at the Parliament in Nicosia. I call on the minister o come here and if he has any compensatory measures to offer us, he can explain them to the residents and see what they hink about them,” the Inia Community leader said.