Newsroom
In a major win for environmental protection in Cyprus, the Administrative Court has issued an interim order halting construction on a planned port in Pentakomo, citing the need to protect the area’s fragile ecosystem.
The decision came after environmental groups BirdLife Cyprus and Friends of the Earth Cyprus filed an appeal, arguing that the development posed a direct threat to the endangered Mediterranean monk seal, one of the rarest marine mammals in the world.
The court’s ruling is unprecedented in Cyprus, as it marks the first time a project has been frozen solely on environmental grounds.
The court’s ruling is unprecedented in Cyprus, as it marks the first time a project has been frozen solely on environmental grounds. The interim order will remain in place until a final decision is made or a new court order is issued.
According to the court documents, the permit for the port, intended to support fish farming operations in the Moni–Vassilikos area, had been approved without a required special ecological assessment. Such a study should have examined how the construction and operation of the port could affect the seal’s habitat.
Environmental groups argue that the project, which includes large-scale industrial facilities, would result in habitat loss, fragmentation, and increased disturbance to the monk seal population.
The ruling is seen as a turning point for environmental justice on the island, strengthening the ability of individuals and organisations to challenge developments that could cause irreversible harm to nature. While the legal process continues, the pause in construction offers a vital opportunity to reassess the project’s long-term impact on one of Cyprus’s most vulnerable species.
