The desalination plant project in Mazotos is moving ahead in line with the state’s legal obligations and with respect for the area, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment says. It notes that the aim is not confrontation, but serious and productive dialogue on implementing measures for the benefit of the community.
The Ministry says it respects residents’ right to express their views and concerns. It adds that the Government has listened to the local community and has addressed the issues being raised again with clarity and responsibility.
“At the same time, the State is obliged to take the necessary decisions to ensure the country’s water sufficiency. Prolonged drought, pressure on water resources and climate change make it necessary to strengthen desalination infrastructure for Cyprus’s water security, to meet the country’s water supply needs and, at the same time, to preserve increasingly larger quantities for irrigation,” it says.
Water security a priority
The installation of the desalination plant in Mazotos is part of this effort and is being advanced under the prescribed procedures and the terms set by the competent departments. During the development of the plans, productive meetings were held, the Ministry says, at both technical and political level with the Community, residents and interested parties, to provide information and exchange views.
The Community Authority has also submitted specific derequests in writing for compensatory measures, so that the project’s presence brings substantial and distinct benefits to the community of Mazotos. “To this end, meaningful discussions with the Community will continue on the specification, prioritisation and effective implementation of any measures, focusing on projects and benefits that respond to genuine local needs.”
As legal proceedings are under way, the Ministry says it is avoiding public statements that could be interpreted as interference with the Court’s judgment. “The Republic of Cyprus fully respects the judiciary and will present its positions before the competent judicial bodies.”
The Government’s position, the Ministry concludes, is that water security is a matter of the highest public interest and requires timely decisions, while the local community must also receive specific benefits.
Source: CNA
