Additional measures to strengthen checks and improve the response to sea pollution incidents were agreed on Thursday during a wide-ranging meeting in Limassol, chaired by Shipping Deputy Minister Marina Hadjimanolis, who said Cyprus' waters are clean. She also said plans to establish a coast guard are moving forward. The mayors present raised specific pollution incidents and called on the state to take responsibility and clearly define areas of jurisdiction.
The meeting was attended by Limassol Mayor Yiannis Armeftis and Amathounta Mayor Kyriakos Xydias, along with representatives of the Department of Environment, the District Local Government Organisation, the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, and the Cyprus Ports Authority.
Meeting called after public complaints
The meeting was convened following complaints from residents in recent weeks over foam, unpleasant odours and the presence of unidentified substances or debris along Limassol's coastline.
Speaking after the meeting, Hadjimanolis said Cyprus' waters are clean, though she added that there is room for improvement and that checks would be intensified. Sea pollution incidents were recorded and dealt with over the course of this year, the meeting heard, with participants agreeing to pursue additional measures for better monitoring and a faster response to similar occurrences in future.
New measures presented
The measures being pursued were presented by academic and Shipping Deputy Ministry adviser Dr Angelos Menelaou. Among other things, these include strengthening checks, making use of technological tools including drones, and equipping inspection vessels with additional equipment. The aim, the meeting heard, is to achieve greater operational readiness and better coordination between the services involved by next summer.
Hadjimanolis said complaints from residents would be evaluated and investigated, but noted that they need to be accompanied by specific evidence to help identify the source of each incident. She also referred to the Cabinet's decision to establish a coast guard, which she said would help make monitoring of maritime areas more effective.
Mayors call for clearer responsibility
Limassol Mayor Yiannis Armeftis described sea pollution as a very serious issue, saying Limassol residents are angry about the situation. "We are demanding solutions. Not tomorrow, but yesterday," he said, adding that although tackling the problem does not fall within the municipality's own remit, the local authority considers it its duty to exert the necessary pressure. "For the citizen, after all, what matters isn't which body has jurisdiction, but how the problem is solved," he said.
Armeftis called for central coordination and the creation of an operational mechanism with a clear division of responsibilities, so that it is clear who coordinates, who monitors, who polices and who intervenes. He also reiterated the Limassol municipality's proposal for a Rapid Response Unit for Sea Pollution, to be coordinated by the relevant state body. "There is no longer room for further delays. The problem is known and citizens are right to complain. What's needed now is decisions and solutions," he said.
Amathounta Mayor Kyriakos Xydias, for his part, stressed the importance of protecting Limassol Bay, saying the state, as the responsible body, has a duty to safeguard the area's marine resources. In his personal view, he said, Limassol Bay is a key factor in the city's significant contribution to the national economy. "It is the state's duty, as the competent body, to safeguard this wealth. At the very least, what it offers us must be protected," he said.
Xydias warned that the more strain placed on Limassol Bay, the greater the risk of pollution, stressing that any action taken needs to be based on scientific evidence. "Only if we approach this on a scientifically documented basis, with everyone taking responsibility and being held accountable, will we get anywhere," he said.
Tension over jurisdiction
The meeting was not without moments of tension, particularly around the question of jurisdiction, with the mayors calling on the state to take on the central role and responsibility for tackling sea pollution.
Source: CNA
