Controversy continues over illegal Holy Monastery construction in Natura 2000 area at Cavo Greco
The ongoing dispute over the illegal construction of the Holy Monastery of Saints Ephraim and Catherine in the protected Natura 2000 area at Cavo Greco persists more than two and a half years after it began. Despite court rulings and demolition orders, the Metropolis of Constantia and Famagusta is pushing to retroactively legalise the structures, now involving the Council for the Study of Deviations (SY.ME.PA). State agencies like the Department of Forests and Game and Fauna Service support the project with conditions, citing biodiversity benefits from planting trees and creating habitats.
Conversely, environmental groups BirdLife Cyprus and Terra Cypria strongly oppose the legalisation, warning it sets a dangerous precedent. They argue the environmental assessment underestimates the site’s biodiversity and cannot justify overriding demolition orders, highlighting unsustainable agricultural practices and unauthorized buildings. The Department of Environment will finalize its position, which will heavily influence SY.ME.PA's decision on the monastery’s future, amid ongoing legal battles between the Metropolis and state authorities.
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