Environmental groups call for unified Akamas protection

The federation of environmental organisations (Opok) on Thursday called for Akamas to be treated as a single, unified protected area, warning that fragmented planning could undermine efforts to preserve the peninsula’s ecosystem. In a statement issued as the House audit committee examined a special Audit Office report on Akamas, the federation called for the full implementation of EU directives on habitats and wildlife, along with the establishment of specific conservation objectives. Opok said Akamas, including the national forest park, should be treated as a single, unified area requiring special protection, rather than being managed through separate and fragmented plans. It warned that the consequences of such fragmentation were already evident elsewhere, in some cases resulting in irreversible environmental damage. The federation also called for the issuance of the necessary decrees and the restoration of environmental damage caused by works carried out in the area. Referring to rulings by the Court of Justice of the European Union, Opok said environmental assessments could not be properly conducted without first establishing specific conservation objectives. The federation also referred to the Audit Office’s special report on Akamas, saying its findings highlighted serious shortcomings in project planning and supervision, as well as possible omissions and questions of responsibility. Opok called for clarification on whether environmental and contractual obligations had been met, and on the implications of the projects for public spending.