Mitsero residents seek court order to halt asphalt plant work

Nicosia, Cyprus. Elected representatives and residents of Mitsero and seven nearby villages demonstrated outside the Supreme Court on Thursday against a planned asphalt plant in Mitsero. Inside, the court considered their request to halt work at the site while a challenge to the plant’s planning permission is pending.

Court reserves injunction decision

The villagers are seeking a temporary injunction stopping all work until the Court of Appeal hears their appeal against the planning permission. The court reserved its decision on the injunction request and said the planning appeal would be heard on October 5.

Villagers cite environmental concerns

The villagers’ lawyer, Natasa Iacovou, said their case rests on the constitution, European Union law and European Court of Justice case law. She argued that temporary injunctions are necessary in environmental planning appeals when work on a disputed project has already begun.

Iacovou said the project was affecting residents’ lives and their right to a healthy environment. She said its environmental impact study refers to leaks of hazardous substances, noise, vibrations and odours, and warned that continued construction could make the court proceedings irrelevant.

State disputes legal basis

The state’s lawyer, Theodora Piperi Christodoulou, said the government considers the application to stop work to have no procedural or legal basis. She said the applicants had not requested a suspension of the court’s decision through the available procedures and called their approach unacceptable.

Christodoulou also questioned why the villagers’ lawyers were discussing possible future steps at the European Court of Justice.