The Cypriot proverb, “whoever’s not ashamed owns the world”, aptly describes the situation that unfolded on the beach next to the Larnaca Nautical Club.
The entire beach had been occupied by a large number of caravans and vans that were turned into makeshift homes, with their owners setting up trailers, tents, awnings, and other temporary shelters. Some even went as far as to demarcate the area they occupied, creating a private courtyard to prevent other bathers from swimming in front of their claimed space.
All of this, of course, was done illegally, as the “settlers” did not obtain any permits from the authorities, and any attempt to do so would have been denied, as there is an explicit prohibition in the legislation.
Due to the situation that arose, the beachgoers encountered scenes of shame and utter anarchy, with piles of garbage accumulating on the sand every day and numerous complaints about the significant nuisance caused.
Wanting to restore order to the area, the Larnaca Municipality requested the assistance of the District Administration, and notices were sent to the violators, calling on them to move, among other things, “vehicles, boats, carts (!), tents, and illegal parapets from the area”, or else they would be moved.
Some, however, did not comply, and yesterday morning, crews from the Municipality and the District Administration carried out a cleanup operation on the beach, confiscating vehicles and other illegally placed items.
The illegal parapets were demolished, and chairs, tables, buckets, and many other items found on the site were removed.
Police forces were also present to intervene in case of protests. Apart from one case, as reported in our newspaper, where a woman reacted when asked to move her illegal setup, no other reactions were recorded.
The confiscated items were transferred to the District Administration’s warehouses, and their owners must now pay the moving costs to retrieve them.
“They arbitrarily violated the legislation on beaches and caused a nuisance,” Larnaca Mayor Andreas Vyras said, noting that caravans and trailers had even been placed on private plots. “From now on, we will monitor the situation and will not allow this phenomenon to recur,” he noted.
By early Tuesday afternoon, the beach had been cleaned. Through an announcement, the Larnaca Municipality informed the public that an excavator and two trucks from the Municipality participated in the cleanup campaign, in addition to the District Administration’s crews.
“The campaign was carried out in accordance with the provisions of the legislation, as the caravans and cars placed on the beach were illegal, and their owners did not move them despite repeated notices from the authorities,” the announcement stated.
“An embarrassment for Cyprus”
Speaking to philenews, Larnaca District Officer Odysseas Hadjiistefanou called the situation “an embarrassment for Cyprus,” adding that due to the caravans and trailers placed on the beach, citizens were prevented from swimming in that particular area.
“We emphasise that it is prohibited to go to a beach with a caravan. It is only allowed in specific areas where there are organised spaces that provide electricity and water. What happened makes Cyprus a laughingstock. Any tourist passing by the area would think we are a country that is 100 years behind and is in the midst of filth,” he underlined.
It is noted that this particular beach is located between two plots from which oil and gas tanks were removed. Similar phenomena exist on many beaches across Cyprus, but due to the impunity of the violators and the non-enforcement of the legislation, the situation has not been addressed.
