Filenews 11 June 2025 - by Angelos Nikolaou
Uncontrolled and illegal exploitation is sweeping the mountains of Pentadaktylos, causing irreversible damage to the natural environment. The occupied areas are turning into a field of unfair competition and environmental lawlessness, while in the free areas businesses operate under a strict European framework.
The dramatic degradation of the Pentadaktylos mountain range continues unabated, through an unregulated, illegal and predatory quarrying that blatantly violates every principle of environmental management and protection. The director of the Mines and Quarries Service, Stelios Michael, speaking to "F", sounded the alarm, underlining the tragic situation that prevails in the occupied territories, where the Republic of Cyprus is unable to exercise any control.
"Quarrying activity in Pentadaktylos has exceeded all limits. There is no planning. This is a predatory development that has very serious effects on the natural environment, reaching even sensitive areas of forest land," says Mr. Michael, who comes from Koutsoventis in the Kyrenia province and knows first-hand about the disaster.
Environmental disaster is not the only problem. At the same time, the possible movement of aggregates through the barricade of Mia Milia creates a new "headache" for the authorities. As Mr. Michael points out, "there is an issue of unfair competition, as the materials from the occupied areas are produced without any environmental or technical certification, while their production costs are clearly lower."
According to Mr. Michael, it should be examined in depth by the Attorney General to amend the regulation on the Green Line so that aggregate quarry materials from Pentadaktylos are not allowed to be traded in the free areas, taking into account that according to the legislation the mineral resources belong to the Republic of Cyprus and the competent authorities have not given quarry privileges for Pentadaktylos.
The Pancyprian Association of Skyscrapers has repeatedly warned the Government and European partners of the urgent need to ban the transfer of these materials. As pointed out in the relevant letters to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen and the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, the obstacles are not only environmental but also legal, since these are products that come from illegally exploited properties of Greek Cypriots.
Antonis Latouros, representing both the Pancyprian and the European Quarry Association, has been strongly active at the European level, promoting the need to amend the Green Line Regulation. "We demand that the EU take a clear position. It is not possible for us to follow all the regulations and on the other hand to legalize illegality through trade from the occupied territories," he states. Between serious and funny to point out the serious disaster in the mountains of Petadaktylos, Mr. Latouros told "F" that "in a few years, Nicosia's hotels will sell sea view rooms".
In particular, through a question by MEP Lucas Fourlas to the European Commission, clear answers were sought on how the EU intends to halt the environmental degradation of the Pentadaktylos, support legitimate Cypriot businesses and ensure compliance with European environmental legislation. The response of the former Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Eliza Ferreira, is highly revealing: She admits that the Commission is aware of the problem, but is unable to impose measures in the areas outside the effective control of the Republic of Cyprus, referring to cooperation with the Bicommunal Technical Committee on the Environment.
In response to the letters sent by the European Association, the European Commission said: "All these goods must meet all the requirements of the acquis regarding the placing of these goods on the EU market. Article 4(2) of Commission Regulation 1480/2004 laying down specific rules concerning goods coming from areas not under the effective control of the Government of Cyprus in the areas over which the Government exercises effective control provides that the Authorities of the Republic of Cyprus shall ensure that goods crossing the line comply with the provisions of the Green Line Health Regulation. safety, the environment and consumer protection".
At the same time, the former Commissioner for the Environment of the Republic of Cyprus, Ioanna Panagiotou, has already pointed out since 2016 the enormous danger that the Pentadaktylos mountain range is experiencing, characterizing it as a "unique natural heritage in immediate danger". It is noted that under normal conditions the area would have already been included in the Natura 2000 network, which cannot be implemented due to the occupation.
According to scientific assessments, the environmental impacts of quarrying are already visible: habitat destruction, extinction of rare species, disturbance of aquifers and complete alteration of the landscape. More than 36 illegal quarries mercilessly carve the mountains of Pentadaktylos.
They demand a ban on the transfer of aggregates from the occupied territories
With letters to the President of the Republic and the competent Ministers of Agriculture, Interior and Trade, the Pancyprian Association of Skyreers requests the prevention of the transfer of aggregates from the occupied areas through the possible opening of a new barricade in Mia Milia and/or any other barricade. According to the Association, "the quarries located near Mia Milia belonged before 1974 to Greek Cypriot owners, who were forced to abandon them due to the Turkish invasion. Today, the exploitation of these quarries is carried out by illegal entities without any environmental control and outside European standards".
The Association calls for five key issues to be taken into account:
1. Illegal exploitation of Greek Cypriot property: The exploitation of quarries constitutes encroachment on private property and the transfer of their products to the free areas will essentially legalize illegal exploitation.
2. Unfair competition to the detriment of Cypriot quarries:
a) Businesses in the free areas operate under a strict regulatory and environmental framework of the EU, while in the occupied areas there is no substantive control.
b) The transfer of aggregates from the occupied territories will bring unbearable economic consequences to our legitimate businesses, creating unfair competition.
3. Environmental violations:
a) According to the European Commission's answer to the question of MEP Lucas Fourlas, the quarrying industry in the occupied areas operates outside the European environmental standards.
b) No Natura 2000 sites have been designated, although the Pentadaktylos mountain range would certainly have been included in this network under normal circumstances.
4. Safety & Health:
a) Quarries in the occupied areas do not follow the European legislation on Safety and Health, which creates serious risks for workers and possible effects on those who come into contact with the materials produced.
b) The Republic of Cyprus has a responsibility to ensure that aggregates used in the free areas come from companies that adhere to strict Safety and Health rules in accordance with EU Directives.
5. Legal and political dimension:
a) The Republic of Cyprus must safeguard compliance with the Green Line Regulation, ensuring that the transport of products that violate Community law and the principles of fair competition will not be allowed.
b) We ask the European Commission to intervene in order to amend the Regulation and explicitly prohibit the transfer of aggregates from the occupied areas.
The three demands of the Association
I. To prohibit the transfer of aggregates from the occupied areas through any barricade.
II. Put pressure on the European Commission to recognise the problem of unfair competition and environmental impacts.
III. To ensure that materials from the occupied areas are not used in public works.
