The Ayia Napa marina is located entirely within the Special Protection Zone (SPA) for the birds Agia Thekla - Liopetri, which belongs to the European Natura 2000 Network, as this location was selected in 2001 long before the area joined the Network. The construction and operation of the unit in this area, was known from the environmental impact assessment stage that it will bring serious, negative and irreversible effects in the Special Protection Zone (SPA) Liopetri - Agia Thekla and more specifically in the species Vrachoploumidi, as well as items of the Red Book of the Flora of Cyprus, as found in the Report of the Due Environmental Impact Assessment for the project Makronissos Marina Ltd.
The Adequate Environmental Impact Assessment (MDEEP) from the proposed marina construction in Ayia Napa was submitted in June 2013 (by a team of five researchers) and the supplementary data of the MDEEP were submitted in March 2014 (by a team of five designers). The Due Assessment Report was issued by the Department of Environment in November 2014.
Answering a question from MP George Perdikis, the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Costas Kadis (who participated in the five-member team of project researchers), states that according to Article 16 of the Protection and Management of Nature and Wildlife , the impacts of the project on the species and habitats of the SPA species were duly evaluated and according to the evaluation, the effects were expected to be negative and irreversible for the rock plumidia, which overwinters in the area and is the SPA designation.
Given the aforementioned evaluation and the lack of alternative development positions, he notes, the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry submitted a proposal to the Council of Ministers to classify this project as a project of overriding public interest, approved by decision of the Council of Ministers on 20/8/2014 ( in which the then Minister of Education participated and a member of the initial group of scholars that prepared the MDEEP). The recital includes reasons of a social or economic nature, in order to be able to proceed with its licensing.
According to the Law on the Protection and Management of Nature and Wildlife, all necessary compensatory measures should be taken to ensure the protection of the overall cohesion of the Natura 2000 network.
At the same time, the Ministry of Interior proceeded with the inclusion of another area in the Natura 2000 Network as a compensation. As compensation for the loss of habitat of this bird, the SPA of Cape Greco (area Kermia - Sand of Kambouri) has been expanded to include an area suitable for the habitat of this species. The European Commission was informed of the above.
On 19/10/2018, the European Commission sent a letter to the competent authorities of the Republic, pointing out some points, in order to help the Cypriot authorities to ensure full compliance with the procedure referred to in Article 6.4 of the Habitats Directive. In addition, he called for a review of the completeness of the compensatory measures taken, as well as the measures taken to restore the degraded SPAs of Agia Thekla, as well as the SPA of Cape Greco from illegal activities.
The Republic is in contact with the Authorities of the European Commission, but has not yet sent a formal reply to this letter, since the compensatory and restorative measures are being studied in cooperation with the Hunting and Fauna Service, as the competent Authority for the management of the bird fauna. . Specifically, the Commission identifies heaps of serious errors and omissions during the process of environmental assessment and approval of Marina Makronisos in Ayia Napa, within the area of the Natura 2000 Network Special Protection Zone (SPA) Agia Thekla - Liopetri. The letter states that the issue of Marina Makronisos in Ayia Napa was not closed for the Commission and at the same time draws attention to future projects in the area, apparently referring to Ayia Napa golf.
Source: Liberal