LARA - CRY OF ANGUISH OVER THE ''INVASION'' OF ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PROTECTED BEACHES IN CYPRUS - Pafos Press 20/8
Deep concern over the situation on Lara beach is expressed by Andreas Kyriakou, president of the Chloraka Environmental Cultural Group, calling on the new Commissioner for the Environment to intervene immediately, in order to ensure the protection of the area and the strict implementation of the relevant legislation.
Lara is one of the most important natural treasures of Cyprus, with particular ecological value and crucial importance for the reproduction of sea turtles.
However, according to the complaint, umbrellas, tents and other facilities are appearing in the area, creating the image of an organized beach and raising questions about whether the protection rules are being respected.
The issue, as it is pointed out, does not only concern the aesthetics or the image of the beach. It primarily concerns the protection status of an area of particular environmental importance and the effectiveness of the competent state mechanisms.
“Who allows this situation? Who controls? Who implements the legislation and, above all, who will take responsibility?”, are the questions that are raised, while at the same time the question is directly formulated as to whether “there is a state” and to what extent the institutions implement the protection rules in practice.
The criticism is directed at the need for substantive controls and not simply the existence of regulations on paper.
As it is argued, the protection of a protected area cannot be limited to declarations, but requires constant supervision and strict implementation of the legislation.
The reference to “environmental regression” is also particularly sharp, with the question of whether Cyprus is being led into an “Environmental Middle Ages”, where protected areas are protected only in theory.
The request is clear, adds Mr. Kyriakou, immediate intervention by the competent authorities, control of the facilities that have been placed in the area and assurance that Lara will continue to be protected in a manner worthy of its ecological importance.
“Lara does not need more umbrellas. It does not need tents. It does not need “development” that alters its character. It needs respect, strict implementation of the legislation and substantial protection”, states Andreas Kyriakou.
The message of the intervention is that Lara cannot be treated as just another beach for commercial exploitation. It is a natural area with unique ecological value, which, as it is emphasized, constitutes a legacy not only of the current generation but also of the next.
by Kiki Pericleous
