Residents at Episkopi village in Limassol were protesting on Sunday against the idea of merging with Limassol’s municipality on the west, based in Ypsonas.

Episkopi community leader Lefkios Prodromou said residents were determined to escalate measures in opposition to the move.

“We have begun the necessary legal steps to appeal to the European Court. There was never a referendum, they cannot forcibly integrate us into the new municipality. We have this right. We never wanted nor did we attend any meeting concerning local authority reform,” he said.

Protestors gathered at the old road from Limassol to Paphos, by the bridge between Episkopi and Erimi villages which they cut off for a few minutes.