The situation in Akamas remains an “open wound” two months after a parliamentary environment committee meeting that was meant to resolve the issues related to the environmentally sensitive area, the federation of environmental organisations (Opok) said on Monday.

As a result of this inaction, serious accidents with quadbikes-which have no place in a real nature preserve- have yet again been recorded, the organisation said.

Neither have the results of the administrative investigation into mishandling of the Akamas national park roadworks ever been made public, Opok added.

This status quo is an “open wound of catastrophic actions” relating to the park’s planned road network, the environmentalists said.

On July 3 the committee had discussed setting a timeframe for immediate works in the peninsula, a task seen as necessary to protect visitors to the area during the recent summer tourist season.

It had been agreed then that safe access was a matter of priority and that the need was urgent to implement the decision to ban use of any vehicles other than those of the fire and other emergency services, Opok said.

Despite this, nothing was done, with the result that two serious accidents with quadbikes occurred on August 11 and September 12.

“Particular mention had been made about the access from Aphrodite’s Baths to Fontana Amorosa and from there to Lara [where the accidents occurred],” Opok’s statement pointed out.

Corrective works were to be begin in October, authorities had said. But mere statements about sustainable mobility and reducing carbon footprint are not enough if not backed up by proper action and they “serve the interests of some”, the environmentalists charged.

“It is not enough to reduce the number of parking spaces (from 650 to 435) nor to reduce the number of unnecessary junctions and refreshment stands when the same misguided [underlying] mindset persists,” Opok said.

A true national park should be devoid of private vehicles, the federation added.

According to prior legislation, complete protection of the particular area around Fontana Amorosa is mandated, which means no alteration of the natural habitat or construction works are to be carried out.

The environmentalists called for this decree to be respected strictly and in full, without watering it down.