The Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Transport, Charalambos Pittokopittis, told KYPE that the majority of the members of the Committee disagree with the transfer of the Department of Antiquities from the Ministry of Transport to the Ministry of Culture.
The Transport Committee discussed on Thursday the possible problems that may arise from the intended transfer of the Department of Antiquities to the Ministry of Culture under discussion. Mr. Pittokopitis said that the majority of the members of the Commission and the parties they represent have in principle had a negative attitude towards the prospect of transferring the Department of Antiquities to the State Department because they see the issue from a political point of view and not from a legal or technocratic point of view.
Mr. Pittokopitis explained that the approach of the majority of the members of the Commission is based on the fact that the Department of Antiquities is one of the Departments that were established during the British occupation in 1935 and the Ministry of Education to which the Department of Culture belongs was created after 1960. and on the basis of the law of necessity as the Constitution does not provide for a Ministry of Education either.
He further explained that the majority of the Transport Committee was negative towards this perspective, realizing that at this time, by raising the issue of relocation of the Department of Antiquities, which belongs to the central state and the Ministry of Transport to the Ministry of Culture, there are risks of exploiting the issue. risk of dividing our cultural heritage.
He added that the majority of the Commission also took into account that it has not clarified very well how constitutionally the creation of the Ministries is enshrined.
In connection with the discussion on the redesign and elaboration of a new study for the construction of breakwaters in the bay of Poleos Chrysochous, Mr. Pittokopitis said that from Polis Chrysochous to Pachyammos there is a great erosion of the coastlines, observing that it is necessary to create coastlines and private property from erosion on the one hand and to create bathing beaches on the other for the financial support of the affected communities.
Regarding the need to create breakwaters at the “Potima” location of the beach in the community of Kissonerga in Paphos province, which was also discussed by the Transport Committee, Mr. Pittokopitis said that in this case the competent Ministry recognizes the problem with erosion, but approaches the creation of breakwaters in the context of future development in the marina area of Paphos. He clarified that the study for the construction of Marina started.
