Saturday’s protest at Larnaca port has been put on hold, pending an “open agenda” meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides within a fortnight.

The transport ministry had until 3pm on Friday to give “something tangible” to the Larnaca development committee that would convince the members to call off the protest against the appointment of an administrator.

The ministry sent a “satisfactory” letter to the municipality regarding the marina and the president phoned them for a meeting over the port, leading to the decision to postpone measures.

Larnaca’s development committee, comprising municipal officers and Larnaca MPs, decided to reschedule the protest for January 11, 2025, mayor Andreas Vyras announced.

He said Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades sent a letter that satisfied the municipality in relation to the marina.

They also held a telephone conversation with Christodoulides, who informed them that he would be inviting them to a meeting within the next two weeks with “an open agenda”.

Vyras said there had been “two important developments” on Friday afternoon.

The first was the minister’s letter, saying that the city’s marina would be given to the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute.

“We agree with this because we wanted the administration to belong to a local organisation, which wouldn’t get in the way of projects we have already announced and the people are waiting for, the yacht club, repairs to and dredging of the marina, and works on the exterior,” he said.

Vyras added that the minister’s letter satisfied the committee “to a great extent”.

However, the minister’s letter did not satisfy them on the issue of the port.

Vyras said the members of the committee had expressed “intense reservations” regarding the temporary administration of the port by a private party.

“The second important development was a phone call from President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides, who said he would be inviting the Larnaca city and district development committee over the next two weeks to the presidential palace to listen to our view on the port,” Vyras said.

The mayor said that “the president was open to change the decision if he is convinced after hearing the members of the committee.”

After this development, the committee decided to postpone the protest for January 11, 2025, and decide later on the next steps, depending on developments.

Before Friday’s meeting, Larnaca’s deputy mayor Iasonas Iasonides told the Cyprus Mail that “we don’t agree with an administrator being appointed” for the port.

Earlier this week, Larnaca municipality had proposed that the temporary management of the marina be handed to the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute as a stop gap until a new operator can be found to take over the cancelled development project.

An announcement from the municipality on Monday said the operation of the Larnaca port should remain with the Cyprus Ports Authority for the time being but there were marina projects that needed to be finished.

The CMMI, they said, should be given management of the marina for the time being.

Under the umbrella of the municipality and headed by mayor Andreas Vyras, CMMI includes on its board individuals from shipping, ship management, the marine industry, academia and officialdom.