Akamas, one of the most important Natura 2000 areas in Cyprus, has for nearly two and a half years been in a state of open construction and inertia, where decisions are taken but not implemented, violations are identified but carry no consequences, and state commitments remain unfulfilled.
The Sustainable Development Plan of the Akamas National Forest Park was created to ensure a balance between nature protection and visitor management in the area, through clear, legally binding environmental conditions and strict procedures, which were set through the environmental assessment and licensing of the Plan. In practice, however, the state itself is failing to implement the rules it has set.
In October 2023, environmental organisations reported serious violations in Phase A of the Sustainable Development Plan of the Akamas National Forest Park by the Department of Forests, which led to the suspension of works following intervention by the President of the Republic. From that point onwards, instead of meaningful correction of previous mistakes and restoration of the environmental damage caused, a period of prolonged inaction and avoidance followed.
The Council of Ministers issued two clear decisions, on December 20, 2023 and March 19, 2024, approving “the promotion of the necessary actions for the implementation of measures to improve the environmental footprint of the project concerning Phase A of the road network of the Akamas National Forest Park”, and “the continuation of the re-evaluation process, until June 2024, for the infrastructure of the management hubs and the remaining works and operations of the Sustainable Development Plan of the Akamas National Forest Park”. To date, none of these commitments has been implemented.
At the same time, three administrative and one disciplinary investigation were conducted to examine the violations and identify responsibilities. None has been made public, despite assurances by the competent Minister for transparency and accountability, and no responsibility has been assigned.
From mid-2024 until today, the environmental organisations have sent a series of letters to the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, requesting answers regarding progress, timelines and implementation of the decisions. No response has been given to date. This silence can no longer be interpreted as a simple delay.
For nearly two years, the competent departments have pointed to the need to implement the environmental conditions and decisions, without any substantive response. The Department of Forests systematically ignores the positions and recommendations of other competent authorities, while continuing to promote works in violation of the legally binding terms of the environmental assessments. A characteristic recent example is the Loutra tis Aphroditis – Fontana Amorosa road, where instead of the agreed restriction of access, the Department of Forests has submitted an application for further interventions and widening, using pretextual justifications.
The result is an Akamas that remains an open construction site, with increasing pressure on protected areas, with both existing and new illegal refreshment kiosks operating normally, continued environmental degradation and a complete absence of effective management, without nature protection decrees and without operating rules for the park, something that the competent authorities had promised and committed would be in place by the end of 2024.
With a joint letter dated March 16, 2026, Terra Cypria, BirdLife Cyprus and the Federation of Environmental Organisations of Cyprus call on the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment to ensure the full implementation of decisions and environmental conditions, to ensure that the Department of Forests complies with the rules and conditions, to proceed with the comprehensive re-evaluation of the Plan, to ensure transparency and full information, and to take immediate measures to reduce environmental impacts and the footprint of the Plan’s implementation.
Responsibility for the current situation in Akamas lies primarily with the Department of Forests, which is openly refusing to align the Plan with the legally binding conditions of the Environmental Authority. However, responsibility for all delays and for the fact that Akamas remains an open construction site lies with the Ministry, which has neither ensured compliance by the Department of Forests nor the implementation and enforcement of all decisions, nor the attribution of responsibility, resulting in the repetition of the same mistakes.
For further information:
Tassos Shialis, Campaigns Coordinator
Tel: 22455072
Email: tassos.shialis@birdlifecyprus.org.cy