Achna says no to crocs anywhere in Cyprus

The Achna local council has voted down the creation of a crocodile park in the area, following loud objections from local residents, which essentially are now blocking any further steps by the company.

The head of the Achna local community, Nicos Vasilas, had come under fire for pushing a vote to allow TSA Crocopark to seek permits to create a crocodile park in the area.

But angry residents, who got wind of how the Israeli-backed project was moving along, raised loud objections in a general meeting in April over safety concerns, environmental issues, and animal rights.

The meetings were getting too intense with the local council finally changing its mind in a new vote on Tuesday.

“The Achna Community Council, at a meeting on 29 May 2018, withdrew its support for the creation of a crocodile park in Achna,” a statement said on Tuesday.

Achna residents welcomed the decision and “now there will be a sense of peace and security among local residents”, according to local council.

The statement also called on state authorities to respect the will of the people of Achna by rejecting the creation of a crocodile park either in the Achna area or anywhere else in Cyprus.

The company, TSA Crocopark, had previously sought and gained the reassurance from local authorities in Achna that the project would not be blocked at the local level after filing for the permit with the government.

It is widely believed that TSA Crocopark would not go forward with new plans without first finding a suitable place as well as convincing the locals to embrace the project.