Residents of eight communities near Mitsero protested outside the Supreme Court on Thursday morning. They are demanding that work on a planned asphalt plant in the Kato Moni-Mitsero area be halted until concerns over its environmental and health effects are examined.
Protesters said suspending the work now would stop the plant from becoming a fait accompli before those concerns were addressed.
Residents and community leaders have been protesting since 2021 through the initiative group Communities in Action, focusing on the overall environmental burden on the area.
They say the area already hosts several polluting activities. Before any new facility is approved, they want the authorities to weigh the cumulative impact, how much more the area can take and the possible effects on public health.
The communities are also calling for:
- Studies: updated studies to be made public and an independent scientific assessment.
- Decision-making: a real say in how decisions are made.
- Existing pollution: a firm timetable from the government for reducing it across the area.
Members of the Movement of Ecologists-Citizens’ Cooperation attended the protest and backed the communities’ call for work to be suspended.
The eight communities have challenged the plant’s permits in court. The Administrative Court recently rejected their latest bid to freeze the building permit, issued to Prometheas Asphalt Limited, and their challenge is due back in court on October 9 for directions.
