Sia residents reject quarry expansion

Residents of Sia have demanded an end to the expansion of quarrying operations near their village, warning that they will no longer tolerate further damage to the surrounding landscape. Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency following a protest on Sunday, community council president Melina Georgiou said residents were calling for a binding timetable for the gradual phasing out of quarrying activities. “We will not accept any expansion. We are demanding limits on quarrying,” she said. Georgiou described Sunday’s demonstration as peaceful and said it had received the support of the entire community and local council. “The protest was held so that people’s voices could be heard, because residents have run out of patience. The government must understand that there is no more tolerance,” she said. She argued that previous agreements setting boundaries for quarrying operations were now being violated, with excavation taking place in areas clearly visible from the village. According to Georgiou, the quarry is visible from throughout the community, making its impact on the surrounding landscape particularly pronounced. She said the community would seek a meeting with the agriculture minister, who, she added, had expressed an interest in visiting the area to discuss the issue. Georgiou stressed that residents wanted a clear and binding plan setting out when quarrying operations would gradually come to an end, describing the demand as a red line for the community. “Xylias mountain is the identity of our community. If the entire mountain is quarried, Sia will lose its identity,” she said. She also expressed concern that ministerial decisions allowing existing quarries to expand could mean that no effective limits would ever be imposed on quarrying in the area. “We are asking for a limit to be placed on quarrying,” she concluded.