Environmental watchdog Terra Cypria has raised alarm over what it describes as unauthorized construction and outdoor event setups in the protected area of Agios Georgios, Peyia, within the Akamas Peninsula. The NGO claims that building works and the installation of a stage for festivals have proceeded without the required environmental approval, posing a serious threat to endangered species and fragile ecosystems.
Construction in a Natura 2000 Protection Zone
During a site visit on April 25, 2025, Terra Cypria documented the reconstruction of an existing restaurant, the construction of new buildings, expansion of a parking lot, and the opening of new beach access routes in Agios Georgios, within the Paphos district.
The group highlighted that the site lies entirely within:
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A Nature Protection Planning Zone (Z1) and an Area of Exceptional Natural Beauty.
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The Natura 2000 network, including both a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Special Protection Area (SPA).
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The designated Beach Protection Zone, under Cyprus’s coastal protection law.
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The Marine Protected Area Lara–Toxeftra, recognized as a Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI).
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The Akamas National Forest Park and adjacent Agios Georgios State Forest.
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The Archaeological Site of Agios Georgios, classified as an Ancient Monument under zoning category Z2.
According to Terra Cypria, any construction in such zones requires strict environmental approval, a process they say was ignored.
Letters to Authorities Go Unanswered
On April 28, 2025, Terra Cypria sent letters to the Paphos District Self-Government Organization and the Department of Environment, asking whether planning or building permits had been granted, whether consultations had taken place with relevant authorities, and whether an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or Special Ecological Assessment (SEA) had been conducted.
The NGO warned that if no such procedures had been followed, all works should be immediately halted until a proper ecological review was completed.
However, Terra Cypria says no response was ever received from the Paphos District authority, a failure they argue violates both Cypriot law and international environmental directives.
Works Carried Out Without Environmental Approval
On August 26, 2025, the Department of Environment confirmed that the works, including new buildings, parking expansion, and beach access construction, were carried out without prior environmental approval.
The Department stated that any project impacting Natura 2000 sites must undergo mandatory impact assessments, which in this case were never conducted. This means the works were completed in direct violation of environmental legislation.
Stage and Outdoor Events Raise Alarm
In a subsequent visit on August 21, 2025, Terra Cypria discovered the installation of a stage with lighting and sound equipment, apparently for outdoor events and festivals.
The NGO immediately filed a complaint, warning that loud music, bright lights, and human activity pose a direct risk to endangered marine turtles (Chelonia mydas and Caretta caretta) that nest at the nearby Toxeftra beach, as well as to the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), a species that uses the Agios Georgios coastal waters for feeding and resting.
Birdlife in the Akamas SPA, including waterbirds and seabirds, is also at risk, as the area serves as a breeding and feeding ground.
Photographic Evidence of Noise and Light Pollution
On August 23, during one of the outdoor events, Terra Cypria recorded high levels of noise and light pollution and submitted the evidence to the authorities. The NGO later published the footage, documenting what it described as serious disturbance in one of Cyprus’s most sensitive habitats.
In response, the Department of Environment and the Department of Fisheries issued a joint statement. They confirmed that no approval had been granted for the installation of the stage or for the hosting of the event. The authorities acknowledged that they had first been alerted to the situation by Terra Cypria and, following the complaint, inspections were carried out. The Municipality of Akamas was formally instructed to halt all works. However, when the municipality failed to act, temporary measures were imposed, such as the installation of light shields on the stage. These, however, were later deemed ineffective and insufficient to mitigate the environmental damage.
Systemic Failures in Environmental Law Enforcement
For Terra Cypria, the incident underscores what it sees as systemic failures in the enforcement of environmental protection laws in Cyprus. The organization argues that local authorities routinely bypass the legal requirement to secure environmental approval for projects and activities that may impact protected areas.
It further criticizes the competent agencies for lacking the capacity or, in some cases, the will to ensure compliance with existing laws. As a result, Natura 2000 sites across Cyprus remain effectively unprotected on the ground, since no binding management plans or protection decrees have been put in place. Even when mitigation measures are introduced, Terra Cypria says, they are often poorly monitored and inadequately enforced, leaving sensitive habitats vulnerable to continued threats.
“By Luck, No Turtles Were Harmed”
Authorities later reported that no turtle nests were disturbed during the August events at Toxeftra beach. However, the Director of the Department of Fisheries stressed this was “purely by chance”, since no nesting or hatching activity occurred that night.
Terra Cypria emphasized that both light and noise pollution are recognized as major threats to sea turtles, especially during the May-October nesting season. The fact that no incident occurred does not reduce the high ecological risks posed by such activities.
NGO Demands Strict Enforcement
Concluding its statement, Terra Cypria called for:
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The immediate removal of the outdoor stage and a ban on future events in Agios Georgios Peyia.
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Strict penalties for violations against wildlife and protected areas.
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Full application of the principles of prevention and precaution, embedded in Cypriot and EU law.
The group also condemned attempts to discredit or intimidate environmental organizations, stressing that demanding compliance with the law is a democratic obligation, not an obstruction.
“Protected areas and species are not laboratories for testing the impacts of illegal activities,” Terra Cypria said. “They are part of our shared natural heritage, which must be preserved for present and future generations.”