MINISTRY SAYS READY TO TAKE ALL MEASURES TO PROTECT NATURE

 Cyprus Mail 4 November 2020 - by Gina Agapiou

Cyprus will take all the necessary steps to complete the network of protected areas, the agriculture ministry said on Tuesday, after the country received a reasoned opinion from the European Commission.

The ministry of agriculture began studying the opinion, received on Friday, with minister Costas Kadis sending instructions “to decide the actions to be taken by all the competent authorities and to assign specific timetables for the implementation of these actions”.

All necessary steps to close any pending cases will be taken, the ministry said, to fully comply with the Directive on the conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora to protect nature.

According to the Commission the island “has not provided an exhaustive list of proposed Sites of Community Importance (SCI) and failed to provide all of the necessary information on each site. As a result, the Natura 2000 network does not adequately cover the various habitat types and species that need protection.”

The ministry said the designation of protected areas “is treated as a matter of priority and particular importance” and they began studies to collect data to identify coastal areas for birds.

“These are time-consuming and costly studies, which have never been carried out before in the waters of Cyprus,” the ministry said.

Cyprus has two months to remedy the situation, otherwise the Commission may decide to refer the case to the European Court of Justice, the Commission added.

The minister will meet with the competent departments in the coming days to prepare a response.

In recent years, Cyprus has boosted the Natura 2000 network with the addition of Liopetri river national forest park, the expansion of the network in Rizoelia national forest park and by unifying four forest areas in Paphos, which are now part of Paphos forest, the ministry said.