**Mitsero Students Walk Out in Protest Against Asphalt Plant Relocation**
Mitsero, Cyprus – Students in the Mitsero area participated in a walkout on Friday morning, expressing their opposition to the proposed relocation of an asphalt plant to their community. The demonstration occurred during the first two periods of the school day, coinciding with heightened tensions surrounding the asphalt plant's establishment.
The walkout was organized ahead of a community meeting scheduled for Friday evening, where residents would gather to discuss the implications of the plant's relocation and strategize further actions. A peaceful demonstration is also planned for Sunday at 10:30 AM, during which residents intend to temporarily block the road outside the site designated for the asphalt plant.
Elli Mesaritou, the head of the Mitsero primary school parents’ association, emphasized the community's concerns regarding public health and environmental safety. She noted that the asphalt plant is being moved from Dhali, a residential area, due to health concerns, raising questions about the decision to relocate it to Mitsero, which already hosts over 150 facilities deemed as "nuisance" operations, including quarries and pig farms.
“Our children are fully informed about this issue. They are just asking for clear air in an area that is particularly burdened,” Mesaritou stated. She expressed alarm over the potential impact of the asphalt plant, calling it a “tombstone for the area” and highlighting that the community has been grappling with this issue for six years.
Mesaritou criticized the lack of transparency and community involvement in the decision-making process, claiming that proper procedures had not been followed. She pointed out that residents had not been adequately informed about the plant's relocation and had not been invited to participate in discussions regarding its establishment. Citing studies that indicate pollutants could be released into the atmosphere from the plant, she expressed skepticism about assurances that the facility would operate under different specifications.
The situation has drawn attention to the broader concerns of environmental health in the region. Mesaritou recalled that President Nikos Christodoulides had previously promised to address the issue if elected, including a visit to the area to listen to residents' concerns. However, she noted that this promise has not been fulfilled, and construction work on the plant has already commenced.
In anticipation of the Sunday demonstration, Mesaritou explained that the timing was chosen to minimize disruption for those using the road, which provides access to local abattoirs and quarries. She recounted a previous protest that resulted in a 20-minute road closure, causing significant inconvenience. “If we reach the point where we have to block roads on working days, then we will affect a lot of people and the market in general. And as they are harassing us, we will be forced to cause a disturbance as well. They give us no other choice. The struggle continues,” she asserted.
The community's efforts to halt the asphalt plant's relocation reflect a growing concern among residents about the environmental and health implications of industrial developments in their area. As the situation unfolds, the outcome of the community meeting and the planned demonstration will likely play a crucial role in shaping the future of the asphalt plant project in Mitsero.