On the attack, the Municipality of Sotiras: "Untrue and deliberate reports"

The Municipality of Sotiras denounces misleading reports about the beach front of Agia Thekla - "We are not asking for the anarchic development of the coastal area, as is wrongly implied by some reports"

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The Municipality of Sotiras denounces misleading reports about the beach front of Agia Thekla. Among other things in the announcement, the Municipality of Sotiras mentions that recently they have noticed that there are publications in the printed and electronic press that falsify the positions of the Municipality of Sotiras in relation to environmental issues, creating wrong impressions in public opinion. The announcement of the Municipality of Sotiras continues by saying that "we are not asking for the uncontrolled development of the coastal area, as is wrongly implied by some publications".

See the full announcement

We regret to note that lately there have been, we believe, unintentional publications in print and electronic media that falsify the positions of the Municipality of Sotiras in relation to environmental issues and create wrong impressions in public opinion.

Our firm position is the need to protect the environment, which is proven by the long-term policy of the Sotiras Municipality. After all, the presence of the Special Protection Zone along our entire coastline, we consider to be a strategic advantage for our Municipality.

We are not asking for the uncontrolled development of the coastal area, as is wrongly implied by some publications. On the contrary, we seek the implementation of the provisions of the Local Plan with the simultaneous adoption of appropriate environmental conditions that shield the Special Protection Zone.

Today, the beach front of our Municipality is excluded from the Planning Incentives Plan for the Recovery of Business Activity in Cyprus. Therefore, the provisions of the Local Plan, but also of the legislation in general that pertains to the field of developments, are not applied due to measures that are imposed horizontally without the proposed projects receiving an environmental assessment. This is a brake on development without any environmental benefit in most cases, since due to the horizontal imposition of measures and exemptions, applications that are proven to be environmentally preferable are rejected.

Our position is as follows:

1️⃣ The beach front of our Municipality is included in the Plan to Provide Urban Development Incentives for the Recovery of Business Activity in Cyprus.

2️⃣ All the provisions of the Local Plan apply, but also of the legislation in general that pertains to the field of developments.

3️⃣ The proposed developments are environmentally assessed and approved or rejected depending on the environmental impact they will have on the Special Protection Zone. In contrast to the horizontal rejection of them that applies to this day.

We note the increased investment interest in the region for the implementation of hundreds of millions of projects, including serious proposals from abroad, with beneficial consequences not only for the local economy but also for the national one. Notably, these are proposed developments for which environmental studies are being prepared. However, their arrest and, apparently, their rejection, condemns the region to economic withering, in a period when forecasts for a slowdown in growth are increasing and the need to attract serious and reliable investments is growing.

Finally, in order to prove its ecological sensitivities and the identification of its words and deeds, the Sotiras Municipal Council has assigned the preparation of an independent environmental study to experts.

To avoid misunderstandings, we want to emphasize that we have immense respect for the State Services and the role they play. Our goal is the sustainable development of the coastal front of the Municipality and we are sure that we will have their support in this since our goals are completely identical.