Larnaca, Cyprus. Larnaca residents gathered outside the city’s port on Wednesday evening in a municipality-organised protest calling for progress on the redevelopment of the marina. Participants demanded clarity on timelines and the inclusion of land development in any final plan.
Protest calls for integrated proposal
The protest began at 6pm and came two years after the termination of the previous concession agreement for the project, amid continued disagreement over its scope.
Mayor Andreas Vyras said the city was seeking a full and integrated proposal. He said the municipality could not accept plans that do not include land areas, adding that decisions taken without the city’s involvement would be “a risk and even dangerous”.
Vyras said Larnaca is requesting “a specific and comprehensive proposal that also includes the development of the land area, with costs and timetables”. He added that the municipality has communicated its position to the transport ministry and reiterated that the current approach does not meet local expectations regarding integrated development.
Transport minister cites pre-election machinations
Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades attributed the protest to what he described as pre-election machinations, referring to prior discussions with local authorities on the project’s implementation.
Vafeades said he had agreed with the mayor that the matter would follow a specific implementation path and that study results relating to land development were expected to be presented by the end of the month.
He said, “Mr Vyras decided on a different course,” adding that the government would continue work on the basis of the agreed framework.
Vafeades said the marina project should not be delayed while studies are completed, stating that “no one doubts that the marina project can proceed today”.
What timeline and scope do you expect authorities to set for the Larnaca marina redevelopment?
