Filenews 24 May 2021 - by Angelos Nikolaou
A new online campaign, promoted through Avaaz's platform, has won over the public, after in just three days the signatures for the protection of the Akamas Peninsula exceeded 8,000. Thousands of citizens sign the "Joint Declaration for the Protection of the Akamas Peninsula", claiming among other things the declaration of the entire Akamas Peninsula in a National Park, Biosphere Reserve or protected area with corresponding international protection status.
The resolution calls on civil society organisations, trade unions, political parties and wider society to jointly demand the protection of the Akamas Peninsula and all necessary and legal measures to safeguard the demands. Furthermore, the Government is called upon to review its plans and to treat the Akamas Peninsula as a single area of particular ecological and cultural value, while ensuring the protection of nature and biodiversity, as well as the sustainable development, prosperity and promotion of local communities in the region.
Those who sign the electronic ballot call for the construction of scattered developments and incompatible projects on the Akamas Peninsula to be prevented. Furthermore, they call for the removal of arbitrary interventions, an end to harmful activities, the demolition of illegal structures and the restoration of environmental damage, in and/or near the Akamas National Forest Park and the protected areas of the Natura 2000 Network, Place of Community Importance and Akamas Peninsula Special Protection Zone.
The State is invited to proceed with the implementation of the strategy and all the public benefit projects included in the Action Plan for the Sustainable Development of the Communities of Akamas and the Municipality of Pegia.
It calls for the establishment of a single and integrated management framework for the entire area falling within the boundaries of the Natura 2000 Network, within the framework of the legal obligations of the Republic of Cyprus towards relevant European Union Directives, with a view to the effective formulation and implementation of policies and actions for the conservation of nature and biodiversity, the protection of the landscape and cultural heritage, the sustainable development of local communities and the optimal management of the region. The signatories even consent to the expropriation of enclosed private property within the Akamas National Forest Park, their declaration on state forest land and their inclusion in the Akamas National Forest Park, under the current legislation.
They require immediate identification of the necessary measures
In addition, citizens require the immediate definition of the necessary conservation measures provided for by the appropriate management plans in order to gain legally binding force, through the adoption of decrees declaring the area a Place of Community Importance Akamas Peninsula in a Special Conservation Zone and the definition of priority measures for the Special Conservation Zone. In addition, the competent authorities should issue the necessary Nature and Wildlife Protection and Management Orders for the Akamas Peninsula Special Conservation Zone, as well as the Protection and Management of Wild Birds for the Akamas Peninsula Special Protection Zone.
They also demand the implementation of maintenance and improvement work on the existing road network, on the basis of the management measures and planned arrangements included in the Management Plans of Natura 2000 Sites of Community Importance and The Akamas Peninsula Special Protection Zone (e.g. prohibition of asphalting, non-implementation of other public infrastructure projects such as electricity, water supply and sewerage, non-registration of existing roads on the public road network , prohibition of opening of new roads, prohibition of registration of unregistered road access, etc.).
Request the submission of a Plan
Citizens are requesting the submission of the Plan for the Sustainable Development of the Akamas National Forest Park, as well as the Local Plans of Akamas and Pegia, to a Strategic and Appropriate Environmental Impact Assessment (Special Ecological Assessment), based on the environmental acquis of the European Union and the harmonising legislation of the Republic of Cyprus, without the creation of fait accompli, through biased decisions of the Council of Ministers. In this context, a co-assessment of the synergistic and cumulative impact of the Akamas National Forest Park Sustainable Development Plan and the Local Akamas and Pegia Projects under preparation is requested.
