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Anastasiades meets leaders of Vasiliko communities, says issues being resolved

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An inter-ministerial meeting is to be held in the coming weeks to look at outstanding issues of concern to nine communities in the region of Vasiliko energy hub, President Nicos Anastasiades said on Sunday.

The president met the leaders of the nine communities on Sunday morning at the start of a visit to the energy centre where he was to inaugurate a new LPG terminal.

Residents of the nine communties have a long list of health and safety issues related to living so close to an energy hub. Most recently it was a decision by the government to move two asphalt plants to the area.

In a short statement after the meeting, the president said that some of the issues had been resolved but some were still outstanding. He did not specify.

“Either this week or the next, an interministerial meeting will be held in the presence of the heads of the communities so as to finalise the answers that must be given and the solutions that must be found to overcome these problems,” he said.

When asked to send a message to the residents of the area that he has great sensitivity for public health, safety and quality of life, he added: “My concern does not decrease depending on the areas”.

The meeting at the offices of the Zygi community council, was attended by the ministers of the interior and energy, the government spokesperson and other officials.

The Vasiliko industrial area hosts fuel terminals, the island’s largest power station and a cement factory plus the energy hub. A waste management plant is also located in the wider area. The plan to move the asphalt plant there was a bridge too far for the residents.

Residents argued that placing all of the island’s energy sources in one place was dangerous, as an accident or sabotage could paralyse the entire republic’s energy supply – just like the Mari navy-base explosion in 2011 that took out the main power station.

 

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