A proposal to extend Glafkos Clerides Avenue (formerly Akadimias Avenue) through the Athalassa National Forest Park in Aglantzia has faced backlash from political parties in the House Internal Affairs Committee.
The committee launched an examination of the matter following a submission by Democratic Party (DIKO) MP Christiana Erotokritou. Political parties that commented expressed significant concern, warning that any intervention in the National Forest Park would have irreversible environmental and social consequences.
The Committee Chairman, Aristou Damianou, clarified that the Parliament is not prepared to accept any town planning that could potentially damage the natural or urban environment.
“We have not been convinced that all possibilities have been exhausted. It is the easy solution to increase traffic flow, but the aim is to deal with problems without sacrificing green spaces,” Damianou stated.
He underscored that the specific project, under the current data, “cannot and must not proceed.”
Concerns were intensified by testimony presented by the President of the Cyprus Institute, Dr. Stavros Malas, who noted that the pollution burden caused by the new road could increase exposure to Particulate Matter (PM 2.5) by a factor of 2.5. Citing data from NASA and the European Environment Agency (EEA), Dr. Malas warned that such an increase is linked to a six- to twelve-month reduction in life expectancy for a large portion of the Aglantzia population. He noted the effects would be more intense for children.
DIKO MP Christiana Erotokritou called the potential road construction through the park an “irreversible mistake.” She described the Athalassa National Forest Park as the “largest green lung of Nicosia.”
“In the year 2025, it is inconceivable to reduce the area of national forest parks to create more roads,” she added.
Erotokritou announced that DIKO intends to table an amendment to block the project’s specific budget allocation, stating the issue is not only fiscal but “political and social.”
Charalambos Theopemptou, MP for the Movement of Ecologists-Citizens’ Cooperation, accused the Town Planning Department of attempting to route roads through the Athalassa Park for decades. He referenced previous instances of unpermitted asphalt paving within the park and expressed his belief that the current plan “constitutes the continuation of a grandiose plan that includes new junctions.” He noted that official plans on the Town Planning website clearly mark the route within the park boundaries.
Stelios Ioannou, representative for the Initiative for Aglantzia, described the project as “retrogressive design that increases traffic,” and criticised the logic of meeting increasing vehicle numbers with new roads. He cited examples from Utrecht, Paris, and Barcelona where European cities are now reducing car flow to create space for citizens.
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