Within the next few days the work required by the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, and in particular by the Department of Environment, for the Akamas Local Plan is expected to be completed, said Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Costas Kadis.
In his remarks in Salamiou after the unveiling of the Monument of Hero Dimitris N. Panagi, Kadis said that it is estimated that on August 8 the report of the Environment Department will be sent to the Planning Board at the Ministry of Interior for its own actions.
My own estimate, he said, “is that within the next month the work required by the Planning Board can be done so that by the end of August or early September the Akamas Local Plan can be published.”
He also pointed out that following instructions from the President of the Republic, both the Ministry of Interior and his own Ministry are working on a number of possible measures that can be implemented for compensation to be given to owners, who previously had development rights and are currently losing them with the Local Plan, or even for owners of enclosed plots within the National Forest Park without any development rights.
Kadis also said that developments regarding projects in the National Forest Park for the convenience of visitors are expected, as the examination of tenders for the improvement of the road network is already at an advanced stage, while the tenders for the visitor’s service kiosks are expected to be announced very soon.
Furthermore, the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment said that he was very pleased to see that following the agreement reached by all stakeholders, big cheese dairies have started the process of joining the protected designation of origin as regards the production of halloumi. He also estimated that in the next few days they will start producing halloumi based on the PDO procedures and specifications and will be certified by the international organization Bureau Veritas. In any case, said Kadis, from September there will not be any products in Cypriots markets bearing the name halloumi without the PDO seal.
He also noted that any changes included in the agreement are not of major importance for a special file to be sent to the European Commission, but are minor changes which can be made with the approval of the Ministry of Agriculture in Cyprus and do not change the characteristics of halloumi.
He added that in the next few days he expects that proposals will be submitted by stakeholders for these minor changes and if proper documentation is provided, these will be published in the official government gazette, hopefully in August.
Source: Cyprus News Agency