Mazotos residents seek cancellation of desalination plant plans

Mazotos, Cyprus. Mazotos residents will call for the complete cancellation of plans for a desalination plant in the area during a meeting with Agriculture Minister Christos Senekis on Wednesday.

The Mazotos community council and the “Save the Coast” initiative group met Senekis at noon to reiterate their opposition to the project.

Environmental concerns

The “Save the Coast” group, which has around 350 members, said residents were seeking to protect Mazotos’ natural environment and coastline but that their concerns had not been taken into account.

“We are not being taken into account, as if we are third-category citizens,” the group said.

It described Mazotos as a village with considerable natural wealth and said it would defend the area “to the end”.

Calls for consultation and assessment

The group said the desalination project had not been put to public consultation and that the views of residents and scientists had been ignored.

The community council called for the decision to be revoked or suspended. It also requested a comprehensive independent environmental impact assessment, an examination of alternative solutions and locations, and assurances that national and European procedures would be followed.

Previous opposition

Opposition to the project dates back to January, when residents held a protest against plans for a desalination plant in the area.

At the time, Mazotos community leader Georgios Demetriou Paphitis said he had obtained an independent study recommending against locating a desalination plant in the area because of its protected habitats.

The group also noted that the government had cancelled plans for a mobile desalination unit in Ayia Napa following opposition from hotels.