Various representatives of the Larnaca district, including mayors, mukhtars, and members of parliament, have come together to voice their opposition to the proposed relocation of the Dali asphalt plant to the Larnaca village of Koshi.

They made their opinions known at a joint meeting on Wednesday, which was attended by the mayors of Aradippou, Larnaca, Athienou, Lefkara, and Dromolaxia and Meneou, as well as the mukhtar of Psevdas, a representative of the Lympia community, and several members of parliament from both the Larnaca and Famagusta districts.

Larnaca mayor Andreas Vyras said “the town and the district cannot be an easy solution for whatever nuisance work or heavy industry and unfortunately for decades our district has been the easy solution”.

“It is a fact that we cannot exist without heavy industries and asphalt, but I consider that Larnaca has given its all and more for them”, he said.

In addition, he said “in the Larnaca district we have the rubbish from almost all of Cyprus, from Nicosia, from Famagusta. It simply is not possible for nuisance industry to come yet again to this particular area, as it is an area which is developing – the natural lung of our district, there are schools, army bases”.

Koshi is home to a landfill and waste management plant, which was the scene of a fire during summer last year.

The asphalt plant is currently located in Dali and has drawn complaints from residents of the town due to its location near to local schools and the “unbearable” smell of the fumes.

Residents of Dali, including primary school children, have held multiple protests aimed at moving the site away from their town. Its mayor Leontios Kallenos last year threatened legal action against the government after plans to move the plant to the Nicosia village of Mitsero were blocked.