State land was leased to private investors by the previous government for the creation of a golf course in Famagusta just a few days before the presidential elections as a “public interest” project, it has emerged.

Although the land was handed over without a tender and before an environmental impact assessment study was carried out, the decision provides for the assessment of the potential environmental impact among the terms and conditions.

This was decided during a cabinet meeting on January 26, a few days before the presidential elections, according to Phileleftheros that broke the story this week.

It was requested for the specific decision to be excluded from the official government gazette.

The land granted to Ayia Napa Forest Golf Ltd includes the forest land of Ayioi Saranta, Mana tou Nera and Arkakouthkia in Paralimni municipality, media reported.

The lease was based, inter alia, on the fact that there is no other suitable available land in the area, thus Anastasiades’ government considered it to be of exceptional importance, serving the “public interest”.

Commenting on the reports, the new agriculture minister Petros Xenophontos told Active radio that he will study the issue before he makes a decision.

For its part, the audit office commented on social media how it has repeatedly expressed its disagreement with the leasing of high-value government land to any private party that requests it.

“If the state decides to lease such valuable land, it should be done through open and transparent procedures,” the post added.