Newsroom
Environmental and political organizations staged a protest Saturday morning at Agios Georgios in Peyia, voicing concerns over alleged violations in protected areas in Peyia and Akamas.
Groups participating included the Ecologist Movement and its Youth Wing, Cyprus Ecological Movement, Friends of the Earth, the Center for Social Innovation, and RESET (Research and Education in Social Empowerment and Transformation). Protesters carried signs reading “Save Akamas,” “Concrete is not development,” and “Protect our natural monuments.”
Andreas Evlavis, coordinator of the Ecologist Movement for Limassol-Paphos, said the protest aimed to alert the public that “something is going wrong regarding the protection of Akamas,” citing conflicting messages from government agencies and concerns over landfills in sea caves. Stamatis Papavasileiou, secretary-general of the Ecologist Youth Movement, warned that “impunity has now become the norm” and called for accountability.
Police maintained a discreet presence during the event, which concluded with a beach cleanup at Lara Beach.
Separately, the 13th Carob Festival in Akamas drew thousands of visitors, a turnout described by Charalambos Pittokopitis, president of the Paphos EOA, as “a response to attempts to cancel the event.” Festival-goers enjoyed traditional carob-based dishes, local flavors, and cultural programs, highlighting the importance of connecting communities with their cultural roots while promoting coexistence with the natural environment.
