Cyprus could be dragged to EU court over Akamas

Cyprus will have to face the European Court of Justice if it fails to take measures to protect the Akamas peninsula, the Green Party warned on Wednesday.

Their call for caution came at the heels of the European parliament’s committee on petitions, which discussed the protection of Akamas from ongoing development projects.

“While Akamas is being destroyed, Cyprus’ leadership is still trying to study the investigation for the destructive works in Akamas. The EU is taking serious decisions,” Green Party international relations coordinator Alexia Sakadaki said.

Two petitions were filed over the matter, and the committee decided to keep the matter open an re-examine it at a later session, said MEP Demetris Papadakis with the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats.

According to the Green Party, MEPs asked the European Commission for an updated written reply on the developments of the Akamas investigations, as part of the ongoing infringement proceedings against Cyprus.

Sakadaki added “it was clear that the European Commission intends to take Cyprus to the EU Court of Justice if the government does not take the necessary measures to protect the Akamas peninsula.”

The party called on President Nikos Christodoulides and all ministries involved to “reconsider their destructive projects in Akamas”.

Papadakis recommended a fact-finding mission is sent to Akamas. He underlined the situation had gotten so bad because Cypriot authorities “did not do their job properly”.