The Larnaca Development Committee is meeting urgently on Monday after months of no action. This is a critical time for the marina and port project.
Today, key officials met with the Minister of Transport, Communications, and Works, Alexis Vafeades. Larnaca Mayor Andreas Vyras, President of the Larnaca Chamber of Commerce Naki Antoniou, and representatives from Urban Planning, ETAP, and other officials were also present. After the meeting, Alexis Vafeades reassured everyone that the Larnaca Marina and Port project is a top priority for the government. However, no major new updates were shared about its future.
The Minister said that dredging at the port will be done within the month. The tender for the Nautical Club building can now move forward. The detailed study for the port and marina is expected next week from the Sovereign Fund and foreign experts. After that, talks with the local community will start, and clear timelines for next steps will be shared.
“The project is very important to the government. We want to move forward and hear the local community’s concerns,” said Mr. Vafeades, stressing the need for quick results.
Former Minister of Transport and Works and DISY Vice President Yiannis Karousos appeared on the show Kathreftis on RIK with Panagiotis Dimopoulos. They discussed an issue that has been in the news for 21 months. Panos Alexandrou, founder and shareholder of Kition Ocean Holdings, also joined. He mentioned that if there was real political will, “the project could have moved forward by now.”
Yiannis Karousos openly questioned why no one has seriously tackled this issue lately. He expressed deep concern and insisted there must be a clear answer about whether the government and Larnaca Municipality want the project or not.
“Having a major company ready to invest in such an important project while the state sticks to vague mentions of ‘other plans’ raises serious questions,” he said. The Marina and Port project, called a “jewel for Larnaca,” could turn the city into a modern Mediterranean hub. It would create thousands of jobs and bring in around 125 million euros annually for the state. Yet instead of moving forward, it remains stuck.
Mr. Karousos voiced strong concern that despite having all necessary data, no real progress has been made in months. He noted that it is “astonishing” such an important project seems ignored when skilled staff and services have worked hard towards its implementation.
A protest by Larnaca citizens is set for tomorrow at 4:00 PM in the Square.
In response to a related question, businessman Panos Alexandrou pointed out that capable people worked diligently on this project. However, at some point, efforts mysteriously “froze.”“We are talking about a landmark project for Larnaca that would change the city’s image,” he stressed. He asked for a meeting with the President of the Republic and relevant authorities, emphasizing that “we can still make moves for Larnaca’s and the country’s benefit”, if there is political will.
