Five Cypriot environmental organisations have written an open letter to President Nikos Christodoulides calling on him to make concrete commitments on biodiversity protection and to explain why key environmental policies included in his 2023 governance programme have not been implemented.
The letter is signed by BirdLife Cyprus, Terra Cypria, Cyprus Wildlife Society, Friends of the Earth Cyprus and the Initiative for the Protection of Natural Coastlines. The organisations say that while environmental protection is listed as a core principle of the president's governance programme, significant delays and shortcomings have emerged in practice, particularly in relation to the protection of biodiversity and nature conservation.
Akamas at the centre of concerns
The letter places particular emphasis on the Akamas Peninsula, an area of exceptional ecological value and a designated Natura 2000 site. The organisations note that the legally binding conditions of the environmental approval for the Akamas National Forest Park Sustainable Development Plan are not being met, and that the Forestry Department has failed to comply with the relevant timelines. They describe the delays, now approaching two years, as a threat both to the conservation of the peninsula and to Cyprus's credibility on environmental commitments.
The organisations recall that in December 2023, the president himself ordered a halt to Phase A road improvement works within the Akamas National Forest Park after serious violations and mishandling were identified. Two subsequent Council of Ministers decisions, dated 20 December 2023 and 19 March 2024, addressed the matter. The letter calls for a new action plan and timeline to be prepared and made public. The groups also note that illegal structures within and near the Akamas protected area continue to operate, and that unauthorised interventions in Natura 2000 sites are ongoing, pointing to serious failures in the enforcement of existing legislation.
EU infringement proceedings and access to information
The letter stresses the need for Cyprus to comply urgently with European environmental law. Cyprus continues to face serious infringement proceedings, particularly regarding the Natura 2000 network, and the organisations call on the government to take substantive measures to adequately designate, protect and manage Natura 2000 sites and to improve environmental assessment procedures.
The groups also raise the issue of access to environmental information, a legally enshrined right which they say is not being adequately upheld in practice. They cite specific examples including the withholding of data on protected species, the refusal of access to information on certain projects, and the failure to respond to written requests for information on the Akamas plan, all of which, they argue, undermine transparency, accountability and public participation in decision-making.
The open letter has been made public as part of an effort to strengthen transparency and public debate on critical environmental issues.
BirdLife Cyprus, Terra Cypria, Cyprus Wildlife Society, Friends of the Earth Cyprus, Initiative for the Protection of Natural Coastlines
