Protest held at RAF Akrotiri over planned military antennas

Akrotiri, Cyprus. Residents and local groups held a protest march outside RAF Akrotiri on Saturday over plans for new military antennas, citing potential environmental and health implications.

The march, organised by Kourion municipality, began at 9.30am at the first entrance to the Akrotiri municipal district. A resolution was due to be delivered to the British bases administration following the march.

Infrastructure plans

The British bases administration said the project concerns the modernisation of infrastructure in the Akrotiri Salt Lake area.

It said construction cannot begin until the environmental assessment process and public consultation have been completed.

Environmental concerns

Environmental organisations Terra Cypria and BirdLife Cyprus raised concerns over the ecological importance of the area and cited scientific studies recording bird deaths and collisions involving existing antenna infrastructure.

The Akrotiri salt lake is protected under the Ramsar Convention and the Natura 2000 network, while the wider peninsula is an important migration corridor for birds in the Levant.

The organisations, which are participating in the consultation, called for the project’s assessment to be scientifically substantiated and compliant with environmental legislation.

Municipal objections

The dispute has also prompted concerns among local authorities over the scale of the planned military infrastructure.

Kourion mayor Pantelis Georgiou said the municipality was initially told that 20 antennas would be installed and 18 removed. It was later informed that 68 antennas would be installed in the first phase, followed by a further 68.

Georgiou raised concerns about possible health and safety implications and said the municipality was seeking updated information on radiation emissions.