ayios georgios — ayios georgios — Investigations into the supposedly prohibited private event near the protected Toxeftra beach in Peyia will be carried out by the environmental department. The department’s director, Theodolou Mesimeris, announced on Wednesday that actions would be taken against the individuals responsible for the event, which occurred over the weekend.
Mesimeris emphasised that “tolerating [violations] is no longer an option,” urging those in charge to adhere to existing regulations. He mentioned that the department is currently gathering evidence concerning the event and proceeding with its investigations.
Despite recommendations from the environmental department to cancel the event, the Akamas municipality allowed it to proceed. Mesimeris stated, “As was evident in the case of Saturday’s event, the recommendations of the environmental department were not followed.”
A meeting involving Akamas mayor Marios Lambrou, the environmental department, and representatives from the marine and forestry departments took place on Tuesday. Following this meeting, the decision was made to relocate the municipal carob festival, initially set for the same location this coming Friday. The new plans are expected to be submitted to Mesimeris by Wednesday.
During his visit to the site, Mesimeris noted that the platform and other equipment from the private event had already been dismantled. He pointed out that there have been several similar instances of non-compliance with the environmental department’s recommendations on the island. Some of these cases have been escalated to the courts, while others have been resolved through out-of-court settlements, depending on the severity of the violations.
In a statement, the director urged municipalities and local authorities to work together and comply with the department’s instructions. This call for cooperation comes in light of concerns raised by the NGO Terra Cypria regarding the significance of the Toxeftra beach area. The NGO reported that the environmental department’s prohibition of the private party occurred only after it had been approved at the municipal level.
Terra Cypria’s environmental officer, Klitos Papastylianou, highlighted the ecological importance of the location, noting its role as a nesting site for sea turtles and a feeding and resting area for monk seals and various waterbird species. The NGO expressed similar concerns regarding the carob festival’s original location.
In response to the criticisms about the festival, Akamas mayor Marios Lambrou defended the event’s history, asserting that it had been held in the same area for 13 years without issue. He dismissed the concerns raised, indicating a belief that the festival had been a harmless tradition.
