30 June 2025 - The coasts belong to the citizens
The recent approval of the environmental study for the “Aqua Residences” project in Larnaca, which allows for the “reclamation” of eroded land, constitutes a dangerous precedent for the coasts of Cyprus. This is a decision that threatens free public access to beaches and the ecological balance. In addition to the “reclamation”, serious questions arise regarding the ownership status of the land that will be reclaimed, as well as whether citizens will have free access.
The project appears to conflict with the Beach Protection Law, which ensures free and unhindered public access to the beach. It is inconceivable for the state to authorise such projects, which are detrimental to the environment, the protection of the coastline and beaches, and the rights of citizens. We remind you that it is the outdated law regarding the management of beaches that provides windows for exploitation. The licensing of such projects confirms Volt's suspicions that the state deliberately did not sign and ratify the Barcelona Protocol, despite the fact that the Coastal Protection Law prohibits any intervention on beaches within a hundred meters of the coastline.
As Volt, we demand:
That the approval of the environmental study be immediately revoked.
That the privatisation of the land be prevented and the public use of the beach be protected, in accordance with the Coastal Protection Law.
That there be complete transparency in the procedures concerning our coasts.
That the Republic of Cyprus finally proceed with the signing and ratification of the Barcelona Protocol, as our Member of Parliament Alexandra Attalidou has been pointing out for years, through parliamentary questions. We remind you that the issue has also been submitted for discussion ex officio in the Committee on Internal Affairs.
The beaches of Cyprus are a national treasure and the state has a responsibility to protect and preserve them for its citizens. Development that circumvents Environmental Legislation and citizens' rights benefits the few, to the detriment of the entire society.