The improvement of the road network from the Baths of Aphrodite to Kakoskalni and by extension to the Amorosa Fountain is entering the final stretch, with the Department of Forests planning to start the works in June.
The project, which is expected to be completed in about three months, includes earthworks, widening, smoothing of the road surface and installation of safety barriers lined with wood.
The Environmental Authority gave the green light for the project, judging that no permanent or irreversible effects on the ecosystem of the Natura 2000 site are expected.
While the Department of Forests is proceeding with the implementation citing fire protection reasons, the conflict between the need for environmental protection, road safety and the positions on the public nature of the road remains open. Environmental organizations express their complete disagreement with the Special Ecological Assessment Report (EOA) for the improvement of the Baths of Aphrodite-Kakoskali road in the Akamas National Forest Park (SAR).
According to the Reasoned Finding, the improvement of the road, 1,800 meters long, aims at faster access for fire brigades and the safe evacuation of visitors in cases of emergency.
The formation of a final width of 5 meters and the construction of 2-3 'Irish' crossings for the management of rainwater are planned. Access will remain limited to the general public, in accordance with the Akamas SAR's Sustainable Development Plan.
Despite the approval, the Audit Office, following an on-site inspection in April 2026, expressed strong concern about the current situation and the uncontrolled use of the road. In its announcement, it points out:
• The road network has serious deficiencies, with dangerous potholes and steep cliffs, making the passage particularly dangerous.
• Illegal access of unsuitable vehicles is observed, in violation of the binding terms of the Strategic Environmental Impact Study.
• It is recommended to immediately implement controlled access with entrance barriers and to effectively inform visitors about the risks.
In the foreground is also the intervention of the company Fontana Amoroza Coast Ltd (Fotiadis family), which through a letter from the law firm "Andy Triantafyllidis & Sons" disputes the positions of the Audit Office. The positions of the Fotiadis side focus on the following:
• The road is considered public and not forest, so any restriction on the free movement of the public is considered illegal.
• The public status of the road was ignored during the preparation of the Akamas Sustainable Development Plan.
• It is argued that the provisions of the Plan for controlled access lack legal binding due to the incorrect legal basis regarding the status of the road network.
It is noted that the project concerns the improvement of the width of the road, the problematic curves with limited visibility, the problematic, corroded road surface with an increased risk of slipping, the management of rainwater, which causes road surface erosion and slipping of slopes, the installation of safety barriers along the entire road due to the large altitude difference (cliff with a height of more than 50m) as well as the replacement of the old type and inappropriate safety barriers.
The Department of Forests will proceed with the improvement of the existing forest road in order to ensure faster and safer access of the fire brigades for the timely extinguishing of fires and the protection of the unique ecosystem of the peninsula. It makes it possible to evacuate visitors and employees smoothly and safely during emergencies, minimizing response time and trapping risks. In addition to road traffic, the road also becomes safe for alternative forms of transportation, e.g. hikers, cyclists, promoting mild recreation and sustainable contact with the natural environment. Finally, it allows the unhindered movement of the vehicles of the competent state Authorities and Services for the purposes of supervision, management and maintenance of the Park, while ensuring the safe access of the residents of the wider area.
The section of the road network to be improved falls within the territory of Bonelli's eagle (Aquila fasciata). In addition, within a radius of approximately 2,000 and 3,000 meters from the boundaries of the proposed project, two important bat shelters have been identified.
Environmental organizations disagree with the projects
The main environmental organizations of Cyprus are leading to a head-on collision with the Department of Environment and the Department of Forests, on the occasion of the new Special Ecological Assessment (EOA) report for the improvement of the Loutra Aphrodite-Kakoskali road within the Akamas National Forest Park (SAR). The organizations Terra Cypria, BirdLife Cyprus and the Federation of Environmental Organizations of Cyprus (OPOK) express their complete disagreement, talking about the "circumvention" of legally binding terms and the "salami-slicing" of environmental studies.
According to yesterday's letter from the organizations to the Department of Environment, the recent approval of the projects, dated April 28, 2026, is in complete contradiction with the philosophy of the Akamas Sustainable Development Plan.
The organizations remind that there is a legally binding condition for the closure of the Aphrodite Baths-Fontana Amoroza road for all private vehicles and its exclusive use by park shuttle vehicles.
While the original conditions provided for a final width of 3.5 to 4 meters, the new approval allows the width to be increased to 5 meters (4.5 meters clear road surface), which is expected to increase traffic volume instead of reducing it.
It is complained that the road network is being examined in fragments and parts instead of as a single project, thus avoiding the assessment of the cumulative impact on the environment.
Environmental organizations warn that improving the road surface will make access easier for all types of vehicles, leading to an increase in annual vehicle movements. They even note that the planning of the Akamas SARP provided for a reduction in movements from 40,000 to 10,000 per year. Furthermore, they warn that the increase in private traffic may hinder the intervention of fire trucks in case of emergency, due to entrapment by unsuitable vehicles or four-wheeled motorcycles (ATVs).
The new regulations bring back proposals that had been rejected in the past, even by the Department of Forests itself, as outside the philosophy of the Plan. The organizations emphasize that the decisions of the Council of Ministers (December 2023 and March 2024) provided for the redesign with the aim of reducing the environmental footprint, which the new approval seems to negate.
Environmental bodies call on the Environmental Authority to apply the Precautionary Principle, warning that current actions endanger the Natura 2000 protected area, for which formal conservation objectives have not yet been set.
