Newsroom
A fresh audit into the Akamas peninsula has painted a worrying picture: unsafe roads, uncontrolled vehicle access, and growing risks to both visitors and the protected environment.
Inspectors who visited the area in April described sections of the road network inside the national forest park as hazardous, pointing to potholes, loose rocks, slippery surfaces, and steep drops. They also warned that a wide range of vehicles, including small cars and inexperienced quad bike users, are entering an area not designed for that level of traffic.
Their conclusion is blunt: without stricter control, the situation could lead to serious accidents and further environmental damage.
Among the key recommendations are immediate measures to restrict access, including the installation of entry barriers, tighter vehicle eligibility rules, and stronger enforcement of existing environmental conditions governing the park. The goal, according to the audit, is simple, stop uncontrolled access before it gets worse.
But the government is pushing back on parts of that framing.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment said safe access to the Loutra Aphrodite–Fontana Amorosa road is not just a visitor issue but a matter of public safety and state readiness.
It described the road as a “critical operational route” for firefighting units and emergency services, especially in a region highly vulnerable to wildfires. Because of that, the ministry argues, traffic management alone is not enough.
“Safe access to the road is an essential condition for the protection of human life, the natural environment, and the operational readiness of the state,” the ministry said, stressing that emergency functionality must come first.
At the same time, officials acknowledged that managing private vehicle access is necessary, but not sufficient on its own to solve the wider problems identified in the audit. The ministry said the challenges highlighted are already known and are being addressed.
As part of that response, the Department of Forests has already submitted a request to the Environmental Authority for what it calls a “minimum necessary improvement” of the road. Officials stress this is not a full upgrade or permanent redesign, but a limited, temporary intervention aimed at improving safety and ensuring emergency access.
Longer term, the ministry says the issue ties into a broader plan for Akamas, which includes controlled entry systems, visitor transport arrangements, and a full reorganization of the road network under a sustainable management framework.
Officials also insisted that any works will take into account the environmental sensitivity of the area.
The audit, however, is urging faster action, warning that the current situation is already out of step with both safety expectations and environmental protections.
With summer tourism approaching, the tension between preservation, access and safety is now back in sharp focus in one of Cyprus’ most protected landscapes.
