Filenews 13 March 2024 - by Angelos Nicolaou
The premises of the male holy monastery of Saint Habakkuk were illegally erected, which, on the recommendation of the Metropolitan of Tamassos, was converted by decision of the Holy Synod to date. 21/3/2022 at the Holy Monastery of Saint Habakkuk. For two years now, processes have been underway for the legalization of the facilities through the registration and construction of a road leading to the monastery. However, they face the refusal of government departments that disagree with the subsequent legalization of the monastery built in an area that falls under the Natura 2000 Network without conducting environmental studies.
Against the Monastery, the Ecclesiastical Committee and Archimandrite Nektarios Georgiou, judicial measures were taken by the Nicosia District Administration through the Attorney General for the arbitrary constructions that exist in the area. The first inspection by a supervisor of the District Administration was carried out in September 2022 and in March 2023, after a new investigation, the illegal buildings were found and that there are no final approvals for a series of buildings that include the accommodation areas of monks, auxiliary spaces, warehouses, offices, etc. On 17/3/2023 the Monastery was informed about the decision to take court measures. Finally, in July 2023, the case was registered before the Court on 18 charges. The trial is set for trial on 3/26/2024.
Nevertheless, as "F" is aware, shortly before the scandal that afflicted the Church broke out, pressure was being exerted for the registration of the road in order to gain legal access to the monastery and then obtain a license.
The specific road leading to the Holy Monastery of Fterikoudi has already been constructed and is part of agricultural zone C3 and protection zone Z1. The road falls within the Special Protection Area of the Natura 2000 Network under the name Madari – Papoutsa and within the Site of Community Importance under the name Hazelnut Forests of Pitsilia. It also falls within a known corridor – passage of migratory wild birds.
In a letter the District Governor of Nicosia dated 2/8/2022 sought the views of the Department of Environment on the issue of the registration of the road leading to the church of Saint Habakkuk in Fterikoudi. Responding to the letter of the District Officer of Nicosia on 12/10/2022, the Department of Environment underlined that "the adjacent residential zones are largely unexploited, while any registration of the road may greatly contribute to the scattered construction outside residential zones (individual houses in an agricultural zone)". In addition, he noted, it seems that a significant widening of the existing narrow road (2-3m) to 6m will be required. as is the proposal of the Department of Town Planning and Housing, with significant construction projects that are expected to have a negative impact on Natura 2000 sites.
Annoyed by the response, the president of the community of Fterikoudi sent a letter to the Department of Environment on 17/2/2023, noting, among other things, that "it is necessary to widen the road for safety reasons, in order to avoid accidents as there is increased traffic to the monastery of Saint Habakkuk on a daily basis". The community's request to the Department of Environment is "to give relaxation so that the road can be registered and widened so that every Cypriot citizen and citizens from abroad who visit both the community and the newly established Saint Habakkuk Monastery can feel the same security they feel when visiting the other monasteries in our Cyprus".
On 21/3/2023, a meeting was held at the offices of the Community Council of Fterikoudi on the registration and construction of a road leading to the holy monastery of Saint Habakkuk of the Holy Metropolis of Tamassos. The meeting was attended by representatives from the Nicosia District Administration, the Department of Environment, the Game Service, the Department of Town Planning and a private company that carried out surveying work on behalf of the community.
The representative of the Department of Environment clarified that, in order for the existing road to be registered and widened, it is necessary for the Community Council to prepare an Appropriate Environmental Impact Assessment study and the submission of form 7 and their evaluation and approval by the competent Environmental Authority, so as to ensure that the construction works for the improvement/widening of the road will not have a negative impact on the Natura 2000 sites.
The representative of the Game and Fauna Service said that his Service does not favour the registration of roads that pass through Nature Protection areas, as it does not want to create conditions to encourage residential development in them.
It is noted that the Nicosia District Department of Town Planning and Housing in a letter dated 21/3/2023 sought views from the competent Departments on the legalization of the illegally erected cells and auxiliary spaces in the monastery of Saint Habakkuk. The Department of the Environment informed a month later that it had no objection to the granting of this permit.
