During the winter, excavators carry out illegal work on the popular Pernera beach in Protaras. For these works, the Famagusta District Administration has already intervened and they have been terminated. At the same time, the whole matter is being investigated by both the District Administration and the Famagusta Police Directorate, before which a relevant complaint was made by the District Administration, as the works were carried out without securing the required permits.
Minister of Interior: "The Municipality is not involved"
According to the information of the newspaper Phileleftheros by the Minister of Interior, Konstantinos Petridis, "as it was found on the spot, the works concerned the breaking of the rock on the sea level line, in order to transport it from the beach".
He added that "the area, in which no activity is observed anymore, is monitored both by inspections by officials of the Famagusta District Administration and by patrols of members of the Famagusta Police Directorate".
He points out that “despite the fact that the works were carried out in the same place where, last spring, illegal works were carried out by the Municipality of Paralimni, the preliminary investigation of the District Administration and the Police does not appear to be involved in any way in the case. the municipality". On the contrary, he adds, it appears that those who attempted it are individuals.
It is noted that on the beaches of the Municipality of Paralimni, piles of arbitrary interventions have been recorded in recent years, with the competent authorities taking measures after the disasters caused.
In an effort, in fact, to allow illegal interventions in the free province of Famagusta, competent officials of the District Administration inspect the coastal front even on rainy days and when they notice that works are being carried out that may immediately violate the provisions of existing legislation. these tasks. Especially when the works that are carried out exceed the allowed ones and affect the relief of the landscape, the matter is reported to the Famagusta Police Directorate.
There are many illegal interventions on the beaches of the Municipality of Paralimni
According to a research presented today by the newspaper Phileleftheros, from 2013 until today a large number of arbitrary interventions were performed on beaches of the Municipality of Paralimni. The interventions were carried out without the approval of the Famagusta District Administration, the Department of Environment, the Department of Public Works and / or the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research.
In addition to the three cases concerning the beaches of Skoutari (Malama), Cavo Maris and Konnos, for which complaints were submitted to the Police by the Famagusta District Administration during 2018, six other cases of arbitrary interventions are recorded.
In particular, in previous years, arbitrary interventions were carried out within the Protection Zone of the Beach and the Marine Zone in the area of Kappari and concerned the rocking of the coast, laying of loose rocks in the form of a breakwater on the north side of the creek, about 10 meters long.
Also, illegal interventions were observed within the Protection Zone of the Beach and the Marine Zone in the area of Fig Tree Bay and concerned earthworks, construction of a vertical cantilever from natural boulders, about 30 meters long, and landscaping of the beach.
In addition, arbitrary interventions within the Beach Protection Zone in the area of Agia Triada involved rocking the coast, earthworks, deforestation, creation of parking spaces and landscaping of the beach.
Illegal works were carried out within the Beach Protection Zone in the areas of Sirena (Koumoulli) and Vrysouthkia (Mouzoura) and concerned earthworks, construction of terraces using boulders, which present a very steep slope and a high degree of danger, as well as construction.
Within the Beach Protection Zone in the area of Kappari, illegal works were carried out and concerned the layout and construction of an earthen sidewalk without following the appropriate procedures for registration of a road or sidewalk, so that intervention in state land could be detected (which required Council approval). or private land to be expropriated. The Auditor General claims that the expenses were covered by the budget of the Municipality of Paralimni.
Arbitrary interventions were observed within the Beach Protection Zone in the Lombardy area (Green Bay), on a coastal plot of land adjacent to the Marine Protected Area of the Natura 2000 Network. Site of Community Significance / Special Zone CY3000006 and concerned the rocking of the coast, earthworks, landscaping with the use of boulders, deforestation and landscaping of the beach.
Source: Liberal