{"id":2926,"date":"2019-09-24T15:59:13","date_gmt":"2019-09-24T12:59:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/birdlifecyprusnew.org\/?p=2926"},"modified":"2025-05-05T15:46:32","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T12:46:32","slug":"pafos-polis-motorway-public-interest-or-public-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/birdlifecyprus.org\/el\/pafos-polis-motorway-public-interest-or-public-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"Pafos-Polis motorway: Public Interest or Public Loss?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ezousa Valley is a unique Natura 2000 site and one of the most untouched valleys carved by rivers flowing from the Troodos mountain range. The valley is a harmonious mix of traditional rural landscape with grazed grasslands and wild scrublands.

Ezousa Valley, the birds that call it home and the unparalleled countryside surrounding it are being threatened, directly and permanently, by the construction of a new motorway linking Pafos to Polis Chrysochous. The motorway has been declared a \u2018public interest\u2019 project by the Council of Ministers and a state tender has been opened for its construction, with a deadline of 1 November 2019.

BirdLife Cyprus supports finding a solution to road safety problems, when this is in conjunction with the sustainable development of local communities and when laws pertaining to the protection of nature are taken into consideration. That is why BirdLife Cyprus opposes the construction of a new motorway and has launched a petition<\/a>, demanding the upgrading of the existing Pafos-Polis Chrysochous road, and not the construction of a new motorway, a clear alternative that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. DOES NOT put a protected area and the countryside at risk,<\/li>
  2. DOES NOT burden the taxpayer with a waste of public money and<\/li>
  3. Maintains the route through the communities, thus supporting local businesses in the long run.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The ecological impact of the new motorway<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This 31-kilometer-long motorway, which will require at least five bridges and two tunnels, will dissect an untouched landscape of high ecological value, including the protected site of Ezousa Valley. Iconic bird species such as the Bonelli\u2019s Eagle Aquila fasciata<\/em>, the Long-legged Buzzard Buteo rufinus<\/em>, the Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus<\/em>, the European Roller Coracias garrulus<\/em>, as well as the endemic species of Cyprus Wheatear Oenanthe cypriaca<\/em> and Cyprus Warbler Sylvia melanothorax<\/em> will suffer a major blow, mainly due to disturbance and loss of a significant habitat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The problem with the procedure that was followed<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Ministerial Council decided on 15 March 2019 to declare the new Pafos-Polis Chrysochous motorway a \u201cPublic Interest\u201d project ignoring:<\/p>\n\n\n\n