Philenews

Ultimatum for the Sotira - Liopetri seafront: Two Ministers in the Hot Seat - Fierce fire at the Department of Environment

Published January 13, 2026, 10:18
Ultimatum for the Sotira - Liopetri seafront: Two Ministers in the Hot Seat - Fierce fire at the Department of Environment

The conflict over tourism development on the Sotira and Liopetri seafront has escalated to a political level. The Parliamentary Committee on Commerce has decided to summon the Ministers of Agriculture and Interior next Tuesday, demanding clear policy decisions on an issue that has been stalled for years. The rare cliff falcon is at the center of the discussion, being the main obstacle to the issuance of environmental permits. The committee chairman, Kyriakos Hadjigiannis, spoke of a “form of betrayal” of the country's interests, criticizing the state's lack of responsibility. The Committee urgently requested the Department of Environment to submit a specific roadmap with dates and decisions within a week. “We have hotels that have become dovecotes,” said Mr. Hadjigiannis, emphasizing that the situation has reached a standstill. The representative of the Department of Environment, Elena Stylianou, assured that the examination of the opinions would be completed “very soon”, noting that the Department is already considering the updated data on the cumulative effects on the Special Protection Area (SPA). Representatives of the area expressed disappointment and anger over the unequal treatment of the province of Famagusta. The Mayor of Ayia Napa, Christos Zannettou, pointed out that the discussion on the local plan has been ongoing since 2004. He complained that 85% of the province is occupied and the rest is trapped in environmental restrictions, while other provinces are filling up with towers without respect. The deputy mayor of Sotira, Antonis Koumis, expressed his complete disappointment, stating that state services are nullifying the community by blocking developments in Agia Thekla for 9 years. The deputy mayor of Liopetri, Marcos Koumis, spoke of the stagnation of the province that offers the most to GDP, emphasizing that the study by the National Technical University of Athens is being sidelined. The deputy mayor of Ayia Napa, Antonis Christou, pointed out the contradiction of the developed Marina next to abandoned projects such as Sun City, requesting developments of more than 3 floors. The director of the Chamber of Commerce of Famagusta, Elena Michaelidou, described the delay as unacceptable, emphasizing that Famagusta is the only province that remains on the margins. The representative of the ETΕK, Alkis Dikais, described the situation as “extremely problematic”, pointing out the lack of infrastructure (pedestrian streets, bicycle paths) and abandoned hotels.