Nicosia, Cyprus. MP Alexandra Attalides on Thursday raised concerns over the felling of mature black pine trees in a Natura 2000 protected area in the Troodos mountains. She said there was no public documentation that mandatory environmental procedures had been followed.
Concerns raised in House audit committee
Speaking during the House audit committee session, Attalides, who belongs to Volt, described the incident as “most worrying”. She said a question on the matter had been sent to the agriculture ministry and that answers were awaited.
Attalides said the matter was not only environmental but also an issue of “institutional credibility and impartiality”.
Reports by Cyprus Hunting Magazine
Questions were raised in Cyprus Hunting Magazine last week regarding the felling, with the magazine stating that the trees were on a plot of land between the villages of Pedoulas and Prodromos. The magazine said the land is owned by former forestry department director Charalambos Alexandrou.
The magazine alleged that approval for the felling had not been obtained from the environment department beforehand.
It reported that a private contractor entered the plot with a lorry and an excavator on January 19, and alleged that official vehicles belonging to the forestry department and a vehicle said to be owned by Alexandrou were also at the scene that day.
The magazine said that between 10 and 20 mature trees, all over 30 years old, were cut down and that it had complained to the police.
What steps do you think authorities should take to clarify whether the required environmental procedures were followed?
