Paphos municipality carried out the felling of 15 mature trees on Tuesday morning in the presence of the mayor Phedonas Phedonos despite strong opposition from the Green party and activists.

In a statement, the party said the trees were cut down a week earlier than previously announced to avoid attempts to prevent it taking place.

“The operation should have taken place next week but given our successful demonstration two days ago, the municipality decided to act pre-emptively and carried out the cutting a week earlier,” member of the Greens Andreas Evlavis told the Cyprus Mail.

The trees on Grivas Digheni avenue are mainly pines and cypresses and according to the project managers could not be preserved because of the need to widen and create pavements.

But for Evlavis the move “downgrades one of the most historic and symbolic streets of the city”.

The tree-felling came just days after the environmental initiative “100 thousand trees in Paphos” protested the municipality’s plans.

Paphos municipality has yet to comment on the matter.