The deputy mayor of Ineia, Yiangos Tsivikos’ proposal for an organised beach at Lara has come under renewed criticism on Monday after the illegal placement of umbrellas, sunbeds and tents in the protected area.

The Animal party strongly rejected the proposal, arguing that such a move would threaten one of the island’s most important nesting grounds for sea turtles.

In their publicly issued statement, the party criticised comments made by Tsivikos, who has renewed the local authority’s request for umbrellas and sunbeds to be permitted on the eastern section of Lara.

Tsivikos has argued that people have coexisted with the environment in Akamas for centuries and called for a “sustainable solution for the coexistence of humans, the environment and turtles”.

The party said the historical presence of people in Akamas could not be used to justify increased human activity under current conditions, arguing that tourism pressure was now on a different scale.

It said Lara was an important nesting site for both the loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta, and green turtle, Chelonia mydas, and that restrictions in the Lara-Toxeftra protected area had been in force since 1989.

The fisheries department has reminded visitors that umbrellas, sunbeds, tents and caravans are prohibited in the area from the beginning of June until the end of September.

Staying on the beach is also prohibited from one hour before dusk until one hour after dawn during the same period.

The department said the restrictions were intended to protect turtle nesting beaches and that appropriate action would be taken where violations were identified.

The environmentalists’ union Opok has also called for increased patrols and enforcement, questioning how the violations occurred despite supposed existing controls.

The Lara-Toxeftra area belongs to the Natura 2000 network and is protected by law.

A similar proposal for an organised beach was raised in 2023 but was halted after the fisheries department stated that granting permission for umbrellas and sunbeds at Lara was incompatible.