Plans on how to best foster the development of the communities in the Troodos mountain as well as the implementation of a previous Cabinet decision to establish a National Forest Park in the Akamas peninsula, in Pafos were the focus of a meeting at the Presidential Palace, on Monday, chaired by Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades.
In particular as regards the Troodos mountain, the government is planning to put to good use state property and to establish a Natural History Museum.
In statements after the meeting Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Minister Nicos Kouyialis said that a tender will be launched in the coming days asking private investors to express an interest in developing the properties.
Referring to the museum, he said that experts are currently visiting in Cyprus, who will review a private collection with natural history exhibits as well as various building premises in the Troodos region. The goal is for a ministerial committee set up for this reason to have a proposal by end October on where and how the museum will be established, he added.
Final decisions on the museum will be taken within the next two months, he said replying to a question, adding that it will take another 4 to 5 months to determine investors` interest on using state properties.
Kouyialis also spoke of the decisions the government has taken about the Akamas peninsula, noting that “during the meeting we looked in various issues, one of which been the establishment of a National Forest Park in accordance with the Cabinet`s decision.”
The Forests Department will be launching a tender to hire international experts in order to put the plan into action, he said. The mandate will include design of the park as well as proposals on how to best use the park to the benefit of the neighbouring communities, he added. This is expected together with the tender process to be completed in the next nine months, he said.
At the same time he said that the Department of Urban Planning will be submitting to the Cabinet within 18 months a new local plan for the entire region, not just the area located within Natura network but also the properties outside it.
