Mazotos residents seek cancellation of coastal desalination plant plans

Mazotos, Cyprus. Residents and the Mazotos community council have called for the cancellation of a decision to proceed with a desalination plant on the coast, citing the absence of public consultation and required studies.

The request was made during a meeting with Agriculture Minister Christos Senekis on Wednesday, according to Eleni Haili, spokesperson for the initiative group for the “salvation of the Mazotos coast”.

Request to withdraw decision

Haili said the initiative group and the community council unanimously requested that the decision be withdrawn.

“We are absolutely convinced that this specific decision will cause irreversible impacts on the marine environments,” she said.

She added that Senekis listened to their concerns and indicated that the request for the decision to be annulled would be considered.

Residents’ concerns

The dispute concerns plans for a desalination facility on the Mazotos coast, which residents have opposed since earlier this year.

The Save the Coast initiative group has about 350 members. Residents have argued that the project was not put to public consultation and that the views of local residents and scientists were not taken into account.

Mazotos mukhtar Georgios Paphitis had previously said that an independent study recommended against locating a desalination plant in the area because of protected habitats.

Environmental assessment call

The community council has called for an independent environmental impact assessment, an examination of alternative locations and assurances that national and European environmental procedures are followed.