The persistent refusal of the Ministry of Interior to publish the revised local plan of Akamas is in full conflict with democratic principles of transparency and international treaties concerning environmental issues, Presidential candidate George Kolokasidis said in a statement.
"The provision invoked by the Ministry of Interior (regulation 15 of the Town and Country Planning Regulations of 1973) is outdated and has been overtaken by the Treaty of Aarhus and by the relevant legislation of the Republic of Cyprus (on Public Access to Information Related to the Environment Law of 2004 and the Right of Access to Public Sector Information Law of 2017)," it says.
Kolokasidis goes on to note that based on these laws and international practice, it goes without saying that the unhindered ability of citizens and environmental organizations to have full access to the plan is self-evident.
"The blackout unlawfully imposed by the Ministry raises reasonable doubt as to its intentions and the ultimate acceptance of the plan by the wider society. We call on all concerned citizens and environmental organizations to coordinate for joint pressure to expose the plan."
In conclusion, Mr. Kolokasidis says that Akamas is too sensitive an issue to be decided in the context of a myopic state management logic.
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