An announcement was issued by the Environmental and Cultural Organization Friends of Akamas regarding the redesign of the road network within the Akamas National Forest Park. The Organization notes, among other things, that "the inappropriate and out-of-place and unnecessary designs of the road network of the Akamas National Forest Park (EDPA) became noticeable during the course of their implementation, as a result of which the projects were interrupted with presidential intervention in the fall of 2023".

The announcement

The unique in value of the Akamas Peninsula, including its remarkable settlements, has been suffering for decades from the insufficient will of the competent state departments to promote a sustainable and sustainable development, worthy of the region, with the result that its importance is constantly being greatly degraded and this to the detriment of its unique natural environment. Even today, the processes of development and protection of the region continue to stall without the prospect of successful implementation.

The inappropriate and out-of-place and unnecessary designs of the road network of the Akamas National Forest Park (EDPA) became noticeable during the course of their implementation, as a result of which the projects were interrupted with presidential intervention in the fall of 2023. The consequences of these projects were evaluated (and this inadequately) four times and taking into account the consequences of these projects, in the end conditions were set by the Environmental Authority, for the revision and redesign of the road network in order to repair the environmental damage. The Friends of Akamas had given our views and suggestions in a timely manner, but in the significant period of time that followed, we have not been informed about any developments.

In a recent on-site visit of our members, it was confirmed how depressing the reality is. Construction sites abandoned for 15 months (!) in the mud , unnecessary sewer-type bridges , built in the beds of water streams that have already been blocked with debris from the first winter , metal reinforcement being eroded by moisture , unsightly walls scattered everywhere , the relief of the landscape is rickety, etc.

This is not the first time that our organization has put before the Competent Authorities the reasons that contributed to us reaching this tragic situation, especially now that Cyprus is taking over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union! We list these main factors:

  1. Lack of will to address the problems of the region holistically, considering it as a single ecosystem.
  2. Absence of a final and complete redesign of the pre-existing road network, which should not have the character of a public but a forest network suitable to serve the management of the Park and the movement of visitors by alternative means of transport and limitation of the private vehicle to the outskirts of the Park.
  3. Lack of a comprehensive approach, with the result that environmental issues not only remain open but also become increasingly difficult to address.
  4. Continued absence of a comprehensive study by an appropriate interdisciplinary team.
  5. Absence of integration of this network into the relief and landscape features
  6. Lack of sensitivity to existing local biodiversity
  7. Complete absence of simple rules of aesthetics in various constructions
  8. Absence of a definition of the use of these roads
  9. Absence of rainwater management from public roads of Pegeia that end up in the park, eroding protected areas (despite the White River) while this water could be stored and used for irrigation.
  10. Absence of decisions for the second phase of the road network projects.

In conclusion, with the unsubstantiated abandonment of the original and worthy vision of the Peninsula, which was to declare it a National Park or a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, we constantly end up with spasmodic and wrong moves that lead to repeated, back and forth wrong plans and actions with ultimately disastrous results for this unique area, wasting valuable time and extensive financial resources. And this without allocating any responsibilities to any of the Competent Departments.