Akamas works to resume in 2027

Audit Office raises serious oversight concernsConstruction work on the Akamas National Forest Park is expected to resume in early 2027, with the first phase scheduled for completion by February 2028, Agriculture Minister Christos Senekis said on Thursday, as the Audit Office raised serious concerns over inadequate supervision, environmental breaches and illegal developments in the protected area. Speaking before the House audit committee, Senekis said revised construction plans for the first phase had already been approved, with the tender expected to be launched before the end of 2026. “We are proceeding with the tender for Phase A within 2026, with work beginning in early 2027 and the aim of completing it by February 2028,” he said. The revised plans reduce the number of service hubs from 14 to eight, following a government decision to further limit the project’s environmental footprint. Senekis said the changes did not mean the original project had proceeded without environmental assessment, but reflected a decision to reconsider its design in light of concerns raised. Similarly, outstanding obligations concerning the establishment of Natura 2000 conservation objectives should not be confused with the adequacy of the project’s environmental assessments. “Any substantial change that could alter the environmental impact of the project must be reassessed by the Environmental Authority,” he said. The minister added that environmental oversight mechanisms were being strengthened, with efforts underway to tackle illegal interventions and address outstanding Natura 2000 protection requirements through the issuance of relevant decrees and the establishment of specific conservation objectives. The project has also been approved for inclusion in the Thalia 2021–2027 programme, which will subject it to additional financial scrutiny. On the financial dispute surrounding the original contract, Senekis said mutual claims between the government and the contractor had been settled amicably, with the involvement of the attorney-general’s office and approval of the finance ministry. Both sides have withdrawn their claims. He also said approximately 80 per cent of illegal access routes in the area had already been closed by the Forestry Department. “Illegal interventions in a protected area cannot be accepted,” he stressed, adding that court proceedings concerning unauthorised construction remained pending. However, Auditor-General Andreas Papaconstantinou painted a troubling picture of how the project had been managed. “The general conclusion of the audit is the concern that there was almost no supervision at all throughout the various stages of implementation,” he said. Papaconstantinou said the Audit Office had requested the administrative investigations commissioned after work was suspended in 2023, but these had not been provided by the agriculture ministry. “This forced us to conduct our own investigation,” he said. He stressed that environmental protection, rather than the financial implications, was the overriding concern because of Akamas’ exceptional ecological value. The Audit Office identified weaknesses in environmental impact assessments, discrepancies between construction plans and environmental conditions, deviations during implementation and failures to comply with other important environmental requirements. Senior Audit Office official Akis Kikas outlined these findings, while Papaconstantinou also criticised the state’s inability to enforce legislation against illegal developments. He referred to unauthorised restaurants and buildings identified during inspections, including a restaurant reportedly damaged by lightning for which an online fundraising campaign had subsequently been launched to finance reconstruction. “We have a state that struggles to enforce the law,” he said. The Audit Office also raised concerns about a private concert held in the protected area, involving a stage installed near a sensitive turtle habitat. Papaconstantinou said the authorities had been warned about the event and stressed that even temporary installations could send the wrong message about environmental protection. “The damage was done. We cannot prove that damage occurred, but we should not be sending the wrong messages,” he said. Environment Commissioner Ilias Myrianthous called for the project to resume as quickly as possible, warning that continued delays were causing considerable environmental harm and placing additional pressure on local communities. He clarified, however, that the concert stage had been located away from the turtles’ nesting area. A representative from the attorney-general’s office confirmed that the Audit Office’s findings were being examined to determine whether there were grounds to investigate possible criminal offences. Meanwhile, Paphos district administration president Charalambos Pittokopitis welcomed the minister’s commitment to restarting the works, saying the priority should be protecting both the environment and local communities. The mayors of Akamas and Polis Chrysochous also called for the project to proceed without further delay, saying residents had already waited too long. Environmental organisation Friends of Akamas said the audit findings confirmed concerns it had raised before the suspension of the works. Its representative, Kyriakos Tsimillis, argued that the fundamental mistake had been the state’s decision to establish a national forest park rather than a national park meeting international standards. The original works began in 2022 but were suspended in 2023 following complaints about environmental damage and the government’s decision to launch administrative investigations.