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- He said the project was first presented as 20 new antennas replacing 18 existing ones, but the figure later rose to 68 in the first phase.
- Georgiou said the project spans three phases over a decade, with two new buildings and another 68 antennas reportedly planned later.
- The mayor said about 340 to 360 donums of land would be affected, with consequences for the area’s character and access to the sea.
- Local authorities seek full transparency, technical documentation and a comprehensive environmental study before any implementation, while no conclusive scientific evidence has been presented.
Mayor alleges incomplete and contradictory information
Plans by the British Bases to install a new Akrotiri antenna system have sparked strong reactions, with Kourion Mayor Pantelis Georgiou alleging that local authorities and the Republic of Cyprus received incomplete and contradictory information about the project.
Speaking on the television programme Protoselido, the mayor claimed that the initial plan presented to local authorities involved installing 20 new antennas and removing 18 existing ones.
According to Georgiou, the number was subsequently increased first to 32 and later to 68 antennas for the first phase of the project.
“They have been misleading us for quite some time about what this project is and how it will be carried out,” he said, claiming that the development is planned over a decade and involves three phases.
Claims of decade-long expansion
According to Georgiou, the first phase involves the installation of 68 antennas and the construction of two new buildings in an area which, he said, falls within a Ramsar site.
A subsequent phase is reportedly expected to involve the installation of another 68 antennas, while clear technical specifications have not been provided for the third phase, which is linked to an expansion of the “Pluto” system.
The mayor also said that approximately 340 to 360 donums of land would be affected by the project, which, according to him, would have serious consequences for the character of the area and access to the sea.
“An entire village is being militarised and enclosed between two military targets,” he claimed, referring to the military airfield and the antenna installations.
‘The government was not fully informed’
Georgiou also raised concerns over the information provided to the Republic of Cyprus.
He said the British Bases had assured local authorities that the Foreign Ministry was aware of the plans.
However, according to the mayor, subsequent communication with the ministry revealed that the information it had received concerned only the holding of a meeting and the installation of some antennas, without further details.
“They are trying to establish a mechanism against which neither the local authority nor the government will be able to react,” Georgiou alleged.
He said the government had requested time to gather all available information before taking an official position, adding that a further update was expected within approximately 15 days.
Legal and political action considered
Kourion Municipality and the Mera Committee, as owners of land affected by the plans, intend to pursue separate procedures and exhaust all available options both within and outside Cyprus, according to the mayor.
Georgiou said legal and administrative options were already being examined in an effort to prevent the project from proceeding without full transparency, technical documentation and meaningful consultation.
Health and environmental concerns raised
Residents and local authorities have also expressed concerns about potential health and environmental effects linked to the Akrotiri antenna system.
The mayor said an environmental study had begun but had not yet been completed.
According to Georgiou, the information provided so far is not considered sufficient to safely assess the potential effects of the project. Local authorities have requested a comprehensive study covering the entire development, as well as the publication of relevant data.
However, no conclusive scientific evidence has so far been presented establishing a link between the new installations and specific illnesses. Local authorities are calling for a full and independent assessment before any implementation takes place.
Georgiou also raised broader questions about the operation of the British Bases, arguing that greater transparency and clear accountability are needed for projects affecting residents and communities of the Republic of Cyprus.
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