On Tuesday, on the instructions of the interior minister, trucks, accompanied by police, were sent to the beach front east of Larnaca to remove caravans, tents, picnic tables, barbecues that had been parked there illegally. And if the authorities had not taken action, the illegal facilities would have remained there for the duration of the summer, the owners treating the beach front as their property. According to reports, they also had the audacity to prevent people from using the seaside over which they had claimed ownership.

The law was enforced because of a report, accompanied by pictures, in last Saturday’s edition of Phileleftheros, which caused some embarrassment to the authorities that had avoided taking any action for weeks. It was not that they were unaware of the illegality – nor was it the first time this had happened – but nobody was prepared to act. Larnaca mayor Andreas Vyras told Phileleftheros that he had written to the district officer, who said that his office could do nothing because it was private land and the procedures of Larnaca EOA had to be followed. Vyras said that the securing of an injunction, for public nuisance, could take one to two years.

There was no such issue back in 2024 when the municipality removed the illegal facilities from the area. This time however, the district officer cited the law which said his office was responsible for the beach, 100 yards from where the waves finished; beyond the 100 yards, the land was privately-owned, it was argued. It was a classic case of passing the buck. What were authorities afraid of? That the law breakers, who had illegally put their caravans on the beach, would sue the government because it tried to enforce the law? Why was an injunction needed to stop the blatant illegality on the beach?

These proved the excuses of bureaucrats because the interior minister had no procedural qualms about sending in personnel to remove all the illegal facilities, three days after the newspaper article. If it had been left to the action-shy Larnaca EOA and Larnaca district office they would still be exchanging letters and legal opinions come November. The reluctance of the authorities to enforce the law encourages the breaking of the law. There is a similar situation in Platania, across the road from the picnic area, which has existed for years, and the authorities are afraid to clear the area of caravans, tents, outdoor cooking areas and so on, even if these pose a forest fire risk.

There must be no delay or reluctance in dealing with the illegal campers. No injunctions and court orders are needed to stop people who are blatantly breaking the law. If the authorities show the decisiveness displayed by the interior minister in dealing with the law breakers this problem will cease to exist.