Larnaca officials urge relocation from Mari due to safety risks

Larnaca District Administrator Odysseas Chatzistefanou has defended government decisions to relocate displaced persons currently residing in or using Turkish Cypriot properties and substructures in the Mari area. The administration has issued letters requesting the handover of these properties or state-built bungalows, primarily to ensure resident safety.

Chatzistefanou stated that Mari is considered a high-risk residential area due to its proximity to an energy center, petroleum companies relocated from Larnaca, a cement factory, and EAC infrastructure. He noted that the dangers became evident following a previous ammunition explosion in the area, which caused property damage.

The long-term goal is the gradual evacuation of Turkish Cypriot properties in Mari. To facilitate this, the state has provided plots of land and increased financial assistance to legal occupants to build new homes in safer areas, such as Zygi. The Administrator noted that in some instances, beneficiaries built new homes but remained in Mari while allowing their children to occupy the new residences instead of relocating themselves.