The delay in the construction of a marina in Ayia Napa is causing intense concern in free Famagusta. About two years after the Municipality of Ayia Napa, under the mayorship of the late Antonis Tsokkos, transferred electricity and water to the area, while the main road network was built, however the construction work has not begun. Concerns are exacerbated by the development in the case of the Larnaca marina, where the project appears to be postponed indefinitely.
Asked to comment on the concerns expressed about the future of the Ayia Napa marina, Mayor Giannis Karousos said that based on the latest developments that had emerged around the issue, the bidder is obliged in April 2014 to begin construction work. As far as he knows, the mayor of Ayia Napa added, the investing company still has contacts with foreign investors for this purpose.
However, as Mr. Karousos revealed, there seems to be a problem, which lies in the following: With the crisis in Cyprus and the fall in the value of real estate, the project is not considered viable for the investor. For this purpose the investor will request a revision of the agreement with the state and an additional building factor. The Municipality of Ayia Napa, said the mayor, intends to ask the government to satisfy the requests of the investor, in order to be able to start work.
It is, he continued, an investment of over 230 million euros that will offer, during the construction of the marina and later with its operation, a very large number of jobs and will give breath to the economy of free Famagusta.
However, according to landowners and tourism entrepreneurs in the area of Makronisos - Agia Thekla, where the marina of Ayia Napa will be built, while there is stagnation, everything is frozen in the area. That is, mainly the investment interest in the purchase of properties and plots in the surrounding area has frozen, even houses and apartments in the area around the marina that extends from the borders of Ayia Napa to the borders of the Municipality of Sotira.