In January 2025 there will be a new session of the Commission on the matter
The construction of 38 breakwaters on the coastal area of Kiti-Agios Theodoros in the province of Larnaca, said a representative of the Department of Transport in the Parliamentary Environment Committee, which met on Wednesday to discuss the erosion of the beaches in the specific areas and the measures to protect them. The MP of DISY, Prodromos Alabritis, wondered if there was planning to deal with erosion and if this had been included in the budgets. “This specific area is very unfair,” he added.
The MP of DISY, Savia Orfanidou, asked if there is a timetable for the execution of the projects to deal with corrosion.
AKEL MP Nikos Kettiros pointed out that the problem of corrosion comes from works of the human factor, speaking for “Lernaean Hydra that we cannot face”. After referring to a NTUA study in 2003, the result of which – as he said – “the executive branch did not like”, he indicated that the problem should be dealt with definitively.
In addition, he said that studies on the subject have been going on for 32 years. “At the rate the issue is being dealt with, it will never be resolved. Studies are a way to not make decisions”, he added. “There should already have been a comprehensive management plan,” he concluded.
AKEL MP Andreas Kavkalias asked himself which direction we should move to solve the problem.
The MP of DIKO, Christos Orfanidis, emphasized that special attention should be given to Larnaca, noting that the coastline of the province is burdened. “There is very little coastline left, on which works that work as a deterrent,” he added.
Furthermore, he said there is correspondence on the subject since 2009. “The construction of breakwaters is in the study stage, not construction. When studies were being done on breakwaters in Pervolia and Zygi, no study was done on the effects of the breakwaters”, he emphasized.
MP of DIKO, Chrysanthos Savvidis, called on the local authorities of the region to take their own measures to deal with the erosion problem.
The ELAM Member of Parliament, Linos Papagiannis, said that “we must be informed by the competent agencies if there is a plan”.
The independent Member of Parliament, Alexandra Attalidou, said that I sent a letter to the Ministry of the Interior asking why the Barcelona Convention was not signed.
The Commissioner of the Environment Antonia Theodosiou, stated that “closing Cyprus with breakwaters is not effective”. As he said, “we must be involved in the environmental protection process”.
Panagiotis Panagiotou, on behalf of the Ministry of Transport, stated that 38 breakwaters will be built in the area, out of of which 8 in Mazotos, 9 in Agios Theodoros, 5 in Tochni, 5 in Maroni, 5 in Pentakomos and 3 in Kivisili. An environmental impact study has been done, he added.
The George Protopapas, on behalf of the Department of Public Works, explained that the beach from Zygi to Kiti, 35 km long, is straight and suffers from erosion. He referred to the history of installing breakwaters in tourist developed areas since the 1980s. As he said, a study was conducted in 2007 for the construction of other breakwaters, adding that 6 were built in Pervolia and another 9 will be built there.
He also mentioned that a separate study was done for the fishing reserve of Zygiou, it was decided to build 8 projects in places that would be affected by the project. Regarding the Zygiou-Kitiou area, Mr. Protopapas said that a new study was assigned to a Greek contractor, which is in progress. As he said, there was a long delay in the study due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Afterwards, he said that a public presentation of the study was made to the community leaders of the area, pointing out that models were agreed upon with the local authorities. He also explained the process of conducting the strategic study, which has been prepared. “The Environment Department raised some issues, requesting additional studies, due to environmental issues in some areas,” he added.
Responding to a question from the President of the Parliamentary Committee for the Environment, Charalambos Theopeptos, about the origin of the materials that could be used in the construction of the breakwaters, Mr. Protopapas said that they can take stones from quarries, adding that concrete can also be used.< /p>
On his part, the Deputy Director of the Environment Department, Dr. Theodoulos Mesimeris, indicated that “the projects should be done with the right approach, with the lowest possible environmental footprint”. As he said, the Department will take the initiative by organizing a meeting with state agencies in order to “expedite actions”, noting at the same time that “we will consider the possibility of environmentally friendly alternatives”.
The Mayor of Dromolaxia-Meneo, Cyprus Andronikou, reported that the beach of Meneo is subject to severe erosion. As he said, there is a study for the construction of breakwaters in the area that reaches the beach of Larnaca. “When will there be a final decision? The situation is getting worse every year”, he added.
The President of the Community Council of Agios Theodoros, Iakovos Stefanou, stressed that the territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus is threatened not only by the Turkish occupation, but “also by erosion”. “The problem must be resolved”, he added.
The Mazotos Mayor, Giorgos Dimitriou Pafitis, said that “we have been hearing about studies since 2006”. We want projects to develop our regions, he pointed out.
A representative of the Federation of Environmental Organizations talked about a very sensitive issue, noting that in the EU there are thoughts about abandoning breakwaters, also due to climate change. “Not all the beaches of Cyprus can be put up for commercial exploitation and tourism,” he said.
A representative of Terra Cypria said that the organization will be positioned as soon as it has the studies. “Without comprehensive strategies, the problem is passed on,” he said.
At the end of the session, the President of the Parliamentary Environment Committee, Charalambos Theopeptou, said that in January 2025 there will be a new session of the Committee on the matter.< /p>
