Cyprus Against the Spoiling of its Coastline
'This is a campaign demanding from the authorities that they enforce the demolition of a pier which private individuals illegally and without any authority constructed over the rocks and well into the sea in the bay next to Fig Tree Bay (Protaras) towards the south and are using for the embarkation and disembarkation of passengers for Coastal Cruises with two ships which they moor there. Please sign the petition below to express your support and to pressurise the authorities to enforce the complete removal of this obstruction and to withdraw the permission which the Maritime Authorities granted for the performance of Coastal Cruises from the illegal pier. Friends of Protaras were shocked to find an illegal platform being constructed in their very back yard to house a large ship and a catamaran. The Jetty, which protrudes out into the beautiful and recently unspoiled coastline of Protaras (in the bay opposite Maistrali Hotel) by at least 15m, and is about 2m high, is not only illegally built but it is a monstrosity of a construction. Tons of concrete have been poured into the sea, rocks have been moved and concrete stairs spoil the shore. This used to be a tranquil spot for the public to enjoy but now this platform has destroyed the environment. Swimming is impossible as the sea often turns a milky colour from all the concrete seeping out through the white and pink sandbags which have been hastily and badly put around the concrete. It is also dangerous as there are metal spikes coming out of the water, again as a result of bad construction. This poses a serious health risk and the probability of an injury is high. Children and adults alike would swim in this part of the Protaras coastline. The marine life has no doubt been severely affected as a result of this obtrusive and invasive procedure and it is impossible to know the long term effects this will cause. We were especially disappointed to discover that even though the police and authorities were called during the construction by infuriated and frustrated residents desperate to put a stop to this before it was too late; they did absolutely nothing to stop it. The result is a twice daily arrival and departure of 2 large tourist filled buses, each paying 50 euros for a day trip, arriving to jump on the humongous catamaran awaiting them at the end of the jetty. This is also very noisy and there is rubbish everywhere at the end of the day. Please sign this petition and support the demand that the authorities force the individuals who illegally constructed the pier to pull this monstrosity down and return as much as possible this once beautiful beach to its former state. Please also send it onwards to your friends and family, or sign on their behalf if they have no e-mail address. This will be sent to: The Minister of the Interior, the District Officer of Famagusta, the Minister of Communications and Works, the Director of the Department of Merchant Shipping, the Mayor of Paralimni and the Chief of Police, in order to achieve the maximum possible exposure and to make it very clear that we will not stand for this and allow our island to become spoiled and undermined like this any longer. Thank you. Passionate action from the people is the only way to ensure the preservation of beautiful Cyprus.'
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