Filenews 26 June 2025
Against the backdrop of the serious environmental degradation in the coastal zone of western Limassol, the Parliamentary Committee on the Environment yesterday sounded the alarm bell about the phenomenon of marine erosion, especially in the area of Kourion, within the British Bases of Episkopi.
The discussion focused on both the long-term effects of human interventions and the legal status prevailing in the areas within the Bases, which, according to the members of the committee, acts as a deterrent to the implementation of protection measures.
The chairman of the committee, MP of the Ecologists' Movement, Charalambos Theopemptou, said that erosion in some places has even reached 27 meters, pointing out that human interventions, such as the removal of materials and stones from beaches, dramatically accelerate the retreat of the coastline.
Mr. Theopemptou explained that in several cases, structures have remained in their original position with vertical walls on the coastline, causing more intense erosion from the impact of the waves.
Some of the leisure centres, such as the one in the Curium region, are already under pressure from the sea, which raises concerns about their safety and sustainability.
The problem is further complicated by the jurisdiction in force within the British Bases.
As the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee reminded, based on the 2014 agreement between the Republic of Cyprus and the United Kingdom, the final decisions on urban development belong to the Commander of the Bases.
He noted that the Bases were not represented at the meeting despite the invitation, while a written briefing is expected.
From the Department of the Environment, Neoklis Antoniou said that the Environmental Authority had no knowledge that a permit had been given to this particular project.
He added that the Department is awaiting the coastal engineering study in order to give an opinion on the proposed projects.
On his part, Kostas Aristeidou on behalf of the Water Development Department said that it is being examined whether the beach can be replenished with sediments from the Kouris dam.
However, as reported by the Department of Public Works, there is concern as to whether there are asbestos fibers in the sediment coming from the Kouris dam, noting that in such a case it is a deterrent to the use of such materials.
Allegations of arbitrariness and political pressure
The reports from the Department of Urban Planning about threats to officials by parliamentary candidates, regarding pressures exerted around the promotion of urban planning policy in the Bases, caused a sensation.
At the same time, the situation on Lady Mile beach, where businesses are allegedly operating without regulatory oversight, with charges reaching €100 for a sunbed set, was described as "out of control".
It is noted that although they were invited to attend, the British Bases were not represented at the meeting. According to the representative of the Department of Urban Planning and Housing, Irene Hadjisavva, the Bases will send a written memorandum to the Environment Committee on the issue of the construction of the restaurant.
Interventions by environmental bodies
Representatives of environmental organizations denounced the practices of removing coarse materials from beaches, as well as the arbitrary construction of facilities in protected areas.
They recommended the repositioning of natural materials and the application of mild interventions, rejecting "hard" solutions such as breakwaters, which aggravate corrosion.
Myroula Hadjichristoforou from the Federation of Environmental Organizations of Cyprus (OPOK), referred to human actions that caused erosion in the area, such as the movement of coarse material and rocks to create sandy beaches. He suggested as a first measure to return the volumes of gravel removed to the sea.
Kleitos Papastylianou from the environmental organization Terra Cypria said that the recreation centers have been erected within a protected area for birds (SPA), within a beach protection zone, within an antiquities protection zone, affecting the coastline and preventing natural sediment transport. He described the removal of rocks without permission as the "most dangerous practice from a scientific point of view".
A spokesperson for the Commissioner for the Environment noted that the presence of buildings on the beaches and constructions near the waves affect the waves and increase erosion problems.
Accordingly, the Ecological Movement with Efi Xanthou called on the competent authorities to implement the provisions of the international protocols signed by the Republic of Cyprus.
"The beach of Curium is in danger of being lost"
AKEL MP Marina Nicolaou took a strong stance, describing the marine erosion in the region as "catastrophic". He stressed that, if no immediate measures are taken, the beach of Kourion may be lost permanently, while he also referred to the political dimension of the issue: "The British Bases are a colonial remnant and negatively affect the exercise of sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus."
Mrs. Nicolaou revealed thata renovation permit was given for a specific recreation center during the pandemic, but no final operating permit has yet been issued, expressing the hope that it will never be granted.
Department of Public Works: Safety risks from constructions with Zapalo materials
On the part of the Department of Public Works, Giorgos Protopapas mentioned that some materials used for the construction of apartment buildings in Limassol come from the old underwater quarry of Zapalos, resulting in phenomena of failure in constructions. The event, combined with the interruption of the natural flow of bearing materials from the Kouris dam, intensifies the erosion phenomena in the wider area.
The session of the Environment Committee clearly revealed the lack of a single strategy to tackle marine erosion, especially in areas under mixed sovereignty. Allegations of illegalities, the inability to control and environmental degradation create a crisis with deep political and social dimensions.
The committee is expected to return to the issue with a new discussion, calling on all stakeholders, Cypriot authorities, British bases and environmental organisations, to work together to protect Cyprus' natural wealth.
