The Forestry Department responded to Cyfield Construction on Friday amid an ongoing dispute over the terminated contract for the Akamas road network upgrade project.

In a written statement, the government department rejected the recent announcement and comments made by Cyfield Construction Ltd regarding the termination of the contract for the upgrade of the Akamas road network.

The contract, which has faced significant delays and disputes, has been at the centre of a growing controversy between the contractor and the department.

Expressing disagreement with the account provided by Cyfield’s Director, Kyriakos Chrysochos two days prior, the department emphasised that the contractor’s version of events did not accurately reflect the facts and was merely a one-sided narrative.

According to the Forestry Department, Cyfield is in breach of its contractual obligations. A letter was sent to the company on January 4 addressing these breaches before the contractor’s own termination notice was issued.

While the details of the dispute are expected to be dealt with by the courts, the Forestry Department stressed that it is not the right time to engage in public discussions over the finer points of the case, as this could undermine the ongoing legal process.

The disagreement between Cyfield and the Forestry Department stems from several points, including delays in the completion of the project and a dispute over payment. Cyfield, which was compelled to terminate the contract on December 23, 2024, claims that it has not received payment for work completed since December 2024. The amount owed is €500,000, which, after deducting a €300,000 performance guarantee, leaves €200,000 outstanding. Additionally, the company claims that the Forestry Department’s lack of response to its requests for resumption of work led to the contract’s termination.

The Forestry Department, on the other hand, refuted these claims, asserting that the company failed to meet its contractual obligations and that it was simply following the necessary procedures to protect the interests of the public and the environment.

Despite the termination of the contract for the road works in Akamas, Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou had told the House environment committee earlier in the week that the project’s completion by 2027 remains on track.

On Friday, the minister said she intends to inform the leadership of the Cyprus Scientific and Technical Chamber (ETEK) about the redesign study of the projects in the area, which were halted since December 2023. The minister noted that this will happen before the convening of the ad hoc committee for Akamas, for which the Environment Commissioner said she is awaiting the invitation to attend.

The study, focused on the first phase of the Akamas National Forest Park (NFP) road network, will be submitted on January 17, 2025, and evaluated by the ad hoc committee on February 3.

The president of ETEK, Konstantinos Konstantis, speaking to StockWatch, confirmed the minister’s invitation to the Chamber for a meeting on January 16, 2025, with the only agenda item being the revision of the sustainable development plan for the Akamas National Forest Park (NFP).

Konstantis expressed concern about the significant stagnation observed in completing the roadworks, which were halted about a year ago after complaints from environmental organizations about deviations from the binding terms of the special ecological assessment (SEA).

“We are not satisfied with the pace of the procedures for starting the works because a year has passed, and we are still discussing what should be done and what should not.”

He also criticised the prolonged disciplinary investigation, which could potentially uncover criminal responsibility for damages caused during construction, leading to the suspension of works in December 2023. The investigation is expected to conclude by the end of February.

The Environment Commissioner, Antonia Theodosiou, told StockWatch that she has yet to receive an invitation to attend meetings at the agriculture ministry but she has submitted her positions in writing.

Regarding the redesign study of the projects, Theodosiou said the study team should include an architect, a landscape architect, a civil engineer, a biologist, and a hydrologist.