Cyprus is examining proposals for a second road access to Paphos International Airport and the Andreas Papandreou airbase following recommendations from the United States, marking the first time national security considerations have been formally invoked to override environmental concerns.
The Defence Ministry has initiated contacts with relevant authorities after receiving the US proposal, which positions the alternative route as essential for operational adequacy and emergency access to the military facility. The ministry is expected to submit a formal proposal to the Council of Ministers to advance related procedures.
The proposed coastal road would connect Paphos International Airport with the tourist area of Paphos-Geroskipou, passing through the mouth of the Ezousas River within the Natura 2000 Special Protection Area covering the estuaries of Ezousas, Xeros and Diarizos rivers.
Environmental authorities maintain decades-long opposition
The Environmental Authority has consistently rejected road construction proposals for two decades, citing severe environmental impacts. The most recent Special Ecological Assessment Report from June 2023 concluded the coastal road would cause “serious, negative and irreversible impacts” on species and habitats within the protected Natura 2000 network.
Environmental authorities have rejected studies in 2005, 2009, 2016, 2017, 2022 and 2023, consistently finding threats to sea turtle species listed in EU Habitats Directive annexes and significant wild bird species protected under the Birds Directive. Officials maintain that upgrading existing road infrastructure presents a viable alternative without equivalent environmental degradation.
US military unit drives planning
The 435th Contingency Response Squadron of the US Air Force, based in Germany, submitted the road access recommendation following two inspection visits to Cyprus. The unit has developed specific technical and operational proposals for the airbase upgrade programme.
The Andreas Papandreou airbase has allegedly started being used for humanitarian missions, civilian evacuations and as a transit hub. US participation in the upgrade planning includes runway extension, hangar construction and modern communications centre development.
US financial contribution to the infrastructure project was confirmed during President Christodoulides’s official Washington visit on 30 October 2024 under the Biden administration, with commitments reportedly unchanged following the Trump election victory.
The Defence Ministry, coordinating with US military experts, plans to integrate the project into a new dual-use infrastructure strategy combining military and civilian applications, with national security considerations now reshaping the decision-making framework.
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