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Ministry’s refusal to release Akamas maps and details sparks furore

ΑΚΑΜΑΣ ΠΑΡΑΛΙΑ ΚΟΣΜΟΣ
Photo: CNA

The Akamas development plan is gearing up to take centre stage amid allegations of backroom deals, electioneering and illegal procedures, while no one can agree anything: not even when the plan will be ready.

The interior ministry on Thursday declined calls by parties, MPs and environmental organisations to publish the maps and details of its Akamas development plan, stating that such a move would undermine the legality of the process. It further said that such calls are irresponsible – “unless of course, the aim is to bring into question the legality of the plan”.

The issue has gained renewed prominence following Agriculture Minister’s Costas Kadis statements last month in which he expected the plan to be announced by mid-June.

The interior ministry issued its announcement in response to opposition Akel, but others have also pressed for the details to be made public.

Green Party leader Charalambos Theopemptou told the Cyprus Mail on Thursday that since the government has decided to develop the Akamas, they are required to prepare a local plan and proceed with public consultations.

“But the government has not provided details of where the developments are set to happen – so they have kept part of the information secret,” he said, adding that: “We’ve seen the maps but not officially.”

Theopemptou said that some were benefiting from the plans not being made public.

“Let’s say you got some land in the area but as it stands you can’t develop it, so you went off and sold it to a developer who has connections, who will then push for that land to be included in the development zone,” he said, adding that the value of such an asset suddenly soars.

But the interior ministry on Thursday stated that the plan is being prepared under the framework of the current legislation and in accordance with a decision made by the council of ministers.

It added that a final decision is awaited from the environmental authority on the environmental impact assessment.

For his part, head of the environment department Costas Hadjipanayiotou said that the revised plan has significant improvements in terms of environmental protection but that there are details which are still troubling.

“The Akamas area is unlike any other in Cyprus… it is a heritage belonging to all of Europe, and we have a duty [to protect it],” he told state broadcaster CyBC on Thursday, referring to the relevant EU directives.

He added, however, that asset owners in the area have their own opinions on the matter and those are entirely understandable. Those opinions must be respected, Hadjipanayiotou said, and that as part of the wider plan there will inevitably be individuals who feel that they are not be treated fairly.

“They may have land for which there are different building permits in comparison to other parts of Cyprus,” he said, adding that authorities continue to research in which ways such people may be compensated. That final point, however, is still under consideration.

Asked about the timeframe of the plan, he said that there is still a way to go – explaining that his department must still issue two reports, with one not expected for a while.

“We will take as long as is necessary to have an informed and researched report,” he said.

“If the Akamas issue wasn’t so difficult then it wouldn’t have been under discussion for 38 years,” he noted.

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