Holding placards declaring “Not another Mari”, “Health and safety above all” and “We are not the rubbish dump of Cyprus,” residents of the nine communities in the Vasiliko area staged a march towards the Vasiliko Energy Centre on Wednesday to protest against the influx of heavy industry.
The nine communities are Pentakomo, Asgata, Mari, Zygi, Kalavasos, Tochni, Chirokitia, Psevmatismenos and Maroni.
Chairman of the coordinating committee Lefteris Foas said that a lot of development is planned in the area, yet the communities have only given their provisional agreement to liquid fuel and natural gas storage, but they have received no written guarantees as regards promises made by authorities, including a fire station.
“It is incomprehensible that our region will be the energy hub for all of Cyprus, but not have a fire station,” he said. Another promise is improvements to the road network, as residents are inconvenienced by the influx of heavy industry with the suitable road network.
In a petition to authorities the communities also asked for representation on the Evaluation Committee for the licensing of factories, changes to planning zones, a limit to the industrial zone and adherence to safety distances among other.