For new “irregular jobs” for the improvement and widening of the main forest roads in Akamas by the Department of Forestry, the environmental organizations Terra Cypria and BirdLife Cyprus speak in their announcement.
As stated in the announcement, “in the last month the Department of Forestry has been implementing work to improve and widen the main forest roads Ais Minas – Smiyes and Smiyes – Koutsagas, within the National Forest Park (NFP) Akamas”. Environmental organizations express serious concerns and strong concerns regarding the procedures followed by the Forestry Department for the implementation of projects in such sensitive areas, without following the legal procedures.
The organizations note that based on the Special Ecological Assessment Report (SEA) for Phase A of the road network of the EDP Akamas issued in March 2024, as well as the relevant Decision of the Council of Ministers dated 19.03.2024, it is envisaged to “continue the process re-evaluation for the next three months, for the infrastructures of the Management Infrastructure Nodes and the other projects and functions of the Sustainable Development Plan of the EDP Akamas”. Council, in June 2024, which, among other things, will include a final realistic work schedule for the rest of the Akamas EDP projects, without unnecessary and further delays”.
Based on the above, the main forest roads, on which the Department of Forestry is implementing improvement and widening works, are included in the section of the main road network of EDP Akama, which should be re-evaluated by June 2024, the organizations report. “Instead, the Department of Forestry seems to have already proceeded with work without any information from the materially responsible Ad-hoc Committee for EOA and above all without the overall re-evaluation of the infrastructure of the EDP Akamas, including both the main forest roads , as well as management infrastructure nodes, they note.
The two environmental organizations request that the materially responsible Ad-hoc Committee for EOA be informed immediately regarding the works to improve and expand the main forest areas Ais Minas – Smiyes and Smiyes – Koutsagas roads, within the EDP Akamas. Finally, they call on the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment to ensure that no further work to improve and/or widen the forest road within the Akamas EDP will be carried out, before the full re-evaluation of the Akamas EDP Sustainable Development Plan by the Ad-hoc Committee for EOA.
