It would be naive to believe that the responsibility for what happened in Akamas lies solely with a minister and a director (one was reshuffled and the other resigned) and that with their departure Akamas would be saved. Nevertheless, the President of the Republic continues to surprise us.
On one hand, he appears shocked by the works carried out in Akamas and gives instructions for the immediate cessation of these works, while simultaneously ordering a thorough investigation to determine how and why this happened. And before the investigation is completed (expected by the end of January, as announced), the president visits Inia and announces the resumption of the works. Meanwhile, beyond the destruction that one can observe firsthand and from images publicised by concerned citizens, an administrative investigation that has been conducted shows a series of violations, hence the works were halted.
Last Friday (January 12), the president met with members of the Green Party, who explained the issue to him “very thoroughly,” as George Perdikis said, “and he seemed to agree that it is in the interest of the communities to change the planning of the road network in the Akamas National Forest Park.”
A week later, while visiting the area with the Inia community leader, Yiangos Tsivikos by his side, he announced the resumption of the works, as if nothing happened. It’s as if the work was interrupted just so the workers could rest or until the dust settled. The President is not concerned about the results of the ordered investigation, nor what the site visits showed, nor what representatives of government departments with a say have stated. Not to mention what the Auditor General said, because apparently his word is not heard in the corridors of power.
The President, therefore, tailors what he says depending on who he is facing. He says one thing to Perdikis in Nicosia and another to Tsivikos in Inia. The question is, when is he being sincere, when does he mean what he says?
We will find out in practice in a few days, although we can suspect the outcome. After all, Nikos Christodoulides did not inherit – inevitably – the Plan for Akamas. He was a member of the cabinet that discussed the issue and made decisions. He knows that the goal was always what the environmentalists denounce: to turn Akamas into a park for the surrounding developments that are to follow. This is evident from the works that began, the wide roads, the unnecessary roads, the enclosures, the kiosks.
There’s a lot of money involved. And the President has not shown any signs that he can escape the lure of money.
