The Paphos municipality is under investigation after municipal crews cut down 28 mature palm trees without required permits, the Movement of Ecologists-Citizens Cooperation party said on Tuesday.
The incident occurred early morning on Napoleon Street, with most trees removed before 9 a.m., according to a statement from the environmental group.
The Department of Forests, responding to a resident’s complaint, found that at least three of the five remaining trees had trunk circumferences exceeding 40 centimetres, requiring specific permits for removal under Cyprus law.
“The Paphos municipality never requested permission from the Forestry Department to cut these palm trees,” a Forestry Department official told the Movement of Ecologists.
The law requires permits for trees exceeding certain dimensions, which was not obtained in this case.
The Green Movement said this is not the first time the municipality has proceeded with tree removal without securing necessary permits, calling for a thorough investigation by forestry authorities.
Environmental groups are urging the municipality to follow proper procedures, including prior site inspections by the Forestry Department before any future tree removal.
