The municipality of Latsia-Yeri on Thursday reiterated its opposition to the creation of a facility for young asylum seekers within its boundaries, demanding that the government provide a written assurance for the withdrawal of relevant plans.

The announcement follows a letter it received from the government at the end of July, requesting that the municipality withdraw its reservations regarding the facility.

The municipality said that it would not accept the request, stressing that corresponding plans had been rejected by both the municipal council and residents.

Addressing the interior ministry, the municipality recalled that it had expressed its opposition to the possibility of state-owned land being made available to the social welfare services for the creation of the facility as far back as 2023, when residents collected over 8,000 signatures against the project.

It added that it had requested the withdrawal of the plans on several occasions, claiming that Deputy Migration Minister Nicholas Ioannides had assured that there were no plans for the establishing of a facility within municipal boundaries.

The municipality called on the government to provide a “written assurance” confirming the definitive withdrawal of the plans.

It stressed that it reserved the right to take “any lawful measures to safeguard peace and prosperity in the area”, stressing that it would not allow for the plans to proceed without the consent of residents and the local authority.

Plans for the potential creation of the facility were opposed by the municipalities as soon as they were made public in 2023, with the mayors of Yeri and Latsia, Neophytos Papalazarou and Christos Pittaras citing as the primary reason the “escalating reactions of the areas’ residents”, saying they have received “dozens” of messages from concerned residents.