Pano Polemidia, Cyprus. President Nikos Christodoulides said on Tuesday that the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) would change the design of a planned pylon in Pano Polemidia after residents protested against infrastructure planned near their homes.
Presidential intervention
Christodoulides intervened while attending a foundation stone ceremony for the Adonis III residential development, where residents from a neighbouring complex gathered to oppose a new electricity pylon and related infrastructure planned close to their homes.
Leaving the official event to speak with demonstrators, the president said he had already raised the matter with the EAC and that changes would be made.
“I spoke with the EAC and the design will change,” he told residents.
“It is ten metres from the nearest house and the design will change. It will take a different route.”
Meeting planned with residents
Christodoulides said officials from the authority would visit the area on Friday to discuss the issue directly with affected residents.
“On Friday, EAC’s people will come here, you will discuss it, and then we will see how we proceed,” he said.
The president also asked Polemidia mayor Andros Theodorou for an update on actions taken by local authorities regarding the matter.
Residents seek full removal
Residents said they were dissatisfied with the prospect of only changing the route of the installation, arguing that the infrastructure should be removed entirely from the residential area.
“You can’t just move the pylon by 60 metres,” one resident told the president, saying that any solution short of relocation would not address their concerns.