Holding banners with slogans and asking for equal opportunities in the development of the coastal area of Agia Thekla as other areas of the island, the residents of Sotiras today expressed their protest against the Government's decisions. The reason was the recent decision of the Council of Ministers to revoke a decision made by the previous government, regarding the granting of a derogation license to the first hotel unit of the Municipality, called Sun City.
Watch videos and statements from the protest event:
Residents and local bodies protested the attempt to marginalize the specific area, with the Municipality of Sotiras declaring that it will not remain apathetic to monitor the developments and will challenge by any legal means decisions that were "taken in his absence".
Mayor Sotiras: "The Environment Department destroys the value of the Local Plan"
In his statements, among others, the Mayor of Sotiras, Mr. Georgios Takkas, stated that in November 2020 the local authority had in its hands the Local Plan of Kokkinohoria, including the Municipality of Sotiras "and after exactly six months, the Department of Environment made some decisions which nullify the value of the Local Plan but also the opportunities that exist for the tourist area of Sotiras."
The majority of parliamentary parties as well as representatives of business organizations and local communities were represented at the protest event.
Mayor of Ayia Napa: "We have been waiting for local plans for twenty years"
The Mayor of Ayia Napa, Mr. Christos Zannetou, stated, among other things, that the effort made by the Municipality of Sotiras to suppress its voice of protest is
"an effort which essentially concerns not only the Municipality of Sotiras but the entire province of Famagusta, a province in which only 15% is left, a province for which we have been waiting for the local plans for the last twenty years".
TEVEA President: "It is unthinkable to close roads for the obvious"
For his part, the President of the Tourist, Commercial and Industrial Company of Famagusta (TEBEA), Mr. Savvas Kosiis, clarified that "as the business world of the province of Famagusta, we support the obvious. It is unthinkable, he said, in the Cyprus of 2020-2023 to go out and close roads and all this has not been resolved in the offices, correctly, legally".
TEBEA: "An entire area is condemned"
Indicative of the situation prevailing in the region, is the announcement of the Tourist Commercial Industrial Company of Famagusta (TEBEA), according to which, with the attitude of the competent government departments and the Council of Ministers, with regard to issues of development in the region, "it is condemned an entire region and province in recession and withering, with a negative impact on the local society, economy and well-being of the residents of the region", while any interest from potential investors in the wider region is also discouraged.
EBEA: "Discrimination"
For its part, the Famagusta Chamber of Commerce and Industry (EBE Famagusta) speaks of discrimination on the part of the competent authorities regarding the development on the Agia Thekla-Potamou Liopetriou beach front, calling on the government to provide specific incentives, so that to create conditions and infrastructure for further development, which is not based entirely on tourism, but also extends to areas such as health, high technology, the green economy, education, as well as the transfer of company headquarters to the region. These are sectors that plague this province over time, while its workforce is mainly employed seasonally in sectors such as tourism and agriculture.
In the case of the Sotiras coastal front, although significant investment interest is shown in these sectors, however, all efforts, according to local agencies, are blocked by the obstacles put up by the authorities, under the "pretext of environmental concerns". Any concerns expressed are mainly based on the fact that some proposed developments in the area abut a Natura 2000 area, which was designated as such in 2008, due to the presence of the Rock-plumidi bird. The Authorities refer to the Special Ecological Assessment (SEA) report, which was prepared in June 2021, just six months after the publication of the Local Plan for the area, which was completed after seven years of substantial consultation between all relevant government departments. What is surprising is that, in essence, the content of the EOA in practice cancels several of the provisions of the Local Plan. Indicative of the situation that has developed is that the Municipality of Sotiras intends to challenge it legally as, as it claims, it was implemented irregularly without any consultation with the local Authorities and the local community. In fact, "to prove its ecological sensitivities and the identification of words and deeds", as stated in a relevant announcement, the Sotiras Municipal Council has commissioned the preparation of an independent environmental study to experts. At the same time, the Municipality declares that it does not in any way wish for unregulated development, but on the contrary, seeks to implement the provisions of the Local Plan, with the simultaneous adoption of appropriate environmental conditions that shield the ZEP.
Dynamic reaction of local society
The local community of Sotiras, as well as the Municipality of Sotiras, strongly express their annoyance with the inflexible attitude of the state departments and the government, something that has been recorded in the context of the pan-municipal gathering that took place as well as in today's protest event, on the occasion of specific issue, while they are also preparing for new dynamic protests.
After all, this is a municipality whose citizens are mainly employed in seasonal work, while youth unemployment remains one of the most important problems.
A perennial demand of the residents of the area, according to the mayor of Sotiras, Mr. Georgios Takka, is to stop the victimization of Sotiras and to implement developments in the area, which lead to the creation of quality jobs, without this meaning that the need to respect the environment.
The local Authorities abandon those responsible for a discriminatory attitude and a tendency to reject in advance the requests for investments in the area, without even taking into account proposed modern, scientifically processed solutions that could be immediately implemented and contribute at the same time to the protection of the environment.
In a period in which sustainable development and quality jobs are a key issue, the developments surrounding this issue are awaited with particular interest.
Famagusta.News