Citizens of Larnaca held a protest today, in front of the main entrance of the Pattichion Park, for the remodeling of the Pattichion Park.
The Alikis Wetland Protection Group reports that “the Municipality of Larnaca has started the projects for the redevelopment of the area, with the construction of a restaurant, pedestrian bridge, dog park, playground and botanical garden. The projects also include a parking space on Artemis Avenue, inside the park. The projects amounting to 7 million euros are co-financed by the EU”.
The Aliki wetland protection group, “protests about the remodeling projects, which as stated in a memorandum who testified before the Parliamentary Environment Committee on Wednesday March 13, fall within the Natura 2000 Network, a Special Conservation Zone (SZD) area and a Special Protection Zone (SZP) forest land”.
They state that “the park adjoins the Larnaca Salt Flats – Wetlands of international importance protected by the Ramsar Convention, for which a management plan was drawn up in 2016, but was not taken into account”.
They note that “the reasoned finding of the Department of the Environment is not equivalent to a proper Special Ecological Assessment, through which the project should pass in such a sensitive area, but it has also not taken into account that to date no protected species of flora and fauna have been recorded in the park and other existing coverages that have either received permission (Tekke Hala Sultan) or will receive in the future (Ag. Charalambous area) have not been taken into account”.
They add that ” the Municipality of Larnaca, because it did not even proceed with a public consultation as it should, as provided for in the Aarhus convention and the law 119/2004 passed by the Parliament and under the weight of the reactions, announced removals from the project, as a result of which the plans have received approval have been differentiated, without however being announced”.
The protestors request “a complete suspension of work until the submission of a revised general zoning plan for the reconfiguration of the pattiche park based on the latest decisions of the municipality council”.
The protest was attended by the Environmentalists Movement-Citizens Cooperation with its President Giorgos Perdikis, the Active Citizens- United Cypriot Hunters Movement and Larnaca MPs.
Source: KYPE
