Ayios Ermogenis reveals the British bases and the Republic
By Efi Xanthou
As the initial images from the “renovation” of a restaurant located on Ayios Ermogenis beach in the Kourion area began to spread last month, many were shocked by the massive size of the structure.No rational individual would believe that the work performed on the building constituted a renovation in any form..
So how can it be that those reviewing the project came to such conclusions? And I’m not just referring to the government or local authorities, but also the architect and civil engineer, who have legal obligations as well. I suppose we all know the answer: they didn’t.
From what I could understand from the House environment committee meeting discussing the issue, the British Bases granted permission to the restaurant owners to renovate the current structure according to the submitted plans, making sure they did not construct even a single centimetre beyond what was already there. That was all.
The permit was granted, and no one verified that the construction followed the submitted plans. However, this issue was not raised by anyone in the committee..
The British bases were not present during the meeting – they had been invited but failed to attend – and the representative from the Limassol district officer spent a significant amount of time clarifying that it is not their responsibility to grant these permits due to the sovereign nature of the base area.
The mayor of Kourion represented the Limassol district council and further elaborated that numerous ambiguous areas continue to exist regarding the connection and duties of the Republic of Cyprus and the British bases, particularly with regard to specific issues that no one appears willing to address since the treaties were signed in 1960.
We received an insightful presentation from the public works department that outlined the fundamentals of coastal engineering and emphasized that building solid structures on the beach is not advisable. Additionally, we were shown a historical presentation detailing how the beach area further upstream was affected by a questionable construction company in the 1970s.so they could unlawfully extract sand from the ocean and shoreline for building projects.
The officials stopped this in the late 1980s, but the harm to the beach was never fully repaired, so the ongoing erosion persists even now.
But no one addressed the question of who was actually accountable for ensuring the renovation followed the submitted plans.
Each authority present in the room was too occupied explaining that they were not accountable for the decision to issue a permit to the specific restaurant owner, and that the British bases would be violating his rights if they had denied him the permit, but no one informed us about what happened after the permit was granted.
So I have taken it upon myself to clarify this specific point, explaining the terminology used during the meeting. From what I understood based on the representative from the interior ministry, the duty of overseeing the implementation of the legal framework for building permits was transferred to the Republic of Cyprus, and following the local government reform that became effective on July 1, 2024,The specific duties related to town planning permits were divided between the town planning department and the local councils..
Therefore, regarding the restaurant in Ayios Ermogenis, which received approval in 2021, the relevant authority was the district officer of Limassol (as a building permit is only required for renovations), and starting July 1, 2024, it became the district council of Limassol.
As straightforward (or as intricate) as that.
I find it intriguing how our nation allows those in charge within the appropriate institutions to avoid fulfilling their duties. It’s a murky situation involving several responsible agencies, leading to no one stepping forward, and no one held accountable when things go wrong.
If you’re curious about how this matter will grow even more complicated, just wait until they complete the “renovation” and then apply for a liquor license with the Kourion municipality.
As per the law, municipalities are only allowed to grant these licenses to businesses located in buildings that have a final permit, which confirms that the construction or renovation followed the submitted plans (good luck with that, dear restaurant owner!).
We are eager to observe the outcome, but we must acknowledge that the harm has already occurred. The restaurant has constructed a 2.3-meter high wall along the beach, causing visitors to steer clear by either entering the water or walking around it from the road’s side.
The powerful force of the waves crashing against it will gradually and consistently cause harm, leaving us with a forgotten building in the middle of the shoreline., as the beach has been slowly eroding for decades.
We, as environmental advocates, will keep pushing for adherence to laws and holding the relevant authorities accountable for their failure to supervise and take responsibility. Until this issue is resolved.
Efi Xanthou serves as the secretary-general of the Cyprus Ecological
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc.Syndigate.info).
