The number of proposed visitor service areas in Akamas has been reduced from 14 to 8, with further changes being pursued to limit the environmental impact of projects, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment. The Ministry made the statement in response to the Audit Office's Special Report on Akamas, CNA reports.
Ministry's response to the findings
The Ministry says it remains committed to the effective protection and management of the area through the implementation of environmental legislation, the necessary corrective actions and continued cooperation with the competent institutions and bodies.
It says the Audit Office's findings, observations and recommendations will be studied and used "with a view to continuously improving environmental protection, management and governance procedures".
36-page letter included in the report
According to the Ministry, during the consultation process before the Report was finalised, it submitted to the Auditor General a detailed 36-page letter setting out the views, clarifications and comments of the Ministry and its competent departments on the findings and conclusions of the draft.
The letter was included in full as an appendix to the final Report. "The Ministry's positions, clarifications and comments are available in their entirety for the public's information," the statement says.
Calls for improved procedures and historical context
The Ministry says it has repeatedly stressed the need for ongoing improvements to environmental assessment, documentation and monitoring procedures, as well as to administrative coordination.
It adds that the assessment of projects in Akamas must take into account "the full history of the decisions, the institutional and legal framework in force at the time they were taken, the responsibilities of the authorities involved, as well as the corrective and improvement measures that followed".
The Sustainable Development Plan
According to the Ministry, the Sustainable Development Plan for the Akamas National Forest Park was the first comprehensive effort to establish a unified framework for protecting, managing and organising the area.
The Plan aimed to limit existing pressures, manage visitor numbers, control the uncontrolled movement of vehicles, close illegal roads and strengthen the protection of habitats and biodiversity.
Measures taken in recent years
The Ministry says significant measures have been taken in recent years, particularly following relevant decisions by the Council of Ministers. These were aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of the projects, reassessing technical interventions, strengthening environmental conditions and reviewing hydraulic works. Additional compliance actions have also been promoted for the Natura 2000 areas in Akamas.
In this context, alongside the reduction in proposed visitor service areas, further changes were advanced to limit environmental impacts, the Ministry says.
Decree on conservation objectives
Taking into account recent developments in the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union and the relevant guidance of the Law Office, the Ministry is pursuing a decree to establish specific conservation objectives for Natura 2000 areas, including the Akamas Peninsula. According to the Ministry, the process is being advanced in cooperation with all competent services.
Source: CNA
