Members of the Larnaca Marina Boat Owners Association held a protest on Saturday, demanding the immediate reinstatement of mooring fees and necessary infrastructure improvements at Larnaca Marina.

Boat owners marched from the marina to the entrance of Athens Avenue, briefly blocking traffic as they chanted slogans and held banners with messages such as "The state is driving us out of Larnaca and Cyprus," "Larnaca Marina & Port, Vasiliko Terminal: Corruption and Incompetence," "You lost the guarantees, we will pay for it," and "Cyprus: An island without a maritime vision."

The president of the association, Chris Stekas, stated, "We are here today to protest once again the government's handling of the Larnaca Marina issue, particularly the actions of the Ministry of Transport."

He explained that Larnaca Marina is currently under the administration of the Ministry of Transport, which "selected and assigned the major investment project for the marina and port to Kition." Stekas added, "It is the Ministry that monitored the project's progress and encouraged Kition to implement price increases. It is the same minister who assured us until the last moment that Kition's projects were on schedule."

Mr. Stekas also commented on the recent developments in the management of the marina and port, which have now returned to the Cyprus Ports Authority and the Ministry of Transport following the end of the contract with Kition. He noted that the Ministry is "now promising record-time projects for the marina to the municipality, Larnaca residents, and us."

He further criticized practices that "contradict the principles of equal treatment and non-discrimination," which, according to Stekas, have burdened boat owners at Larnaca Marina "with double the fees compared to other state mooring facilities."

Stekas described the government's management as a "failure," stating, "They expect us, the boat owners, to pay for their mistakes."

He called on the state and the Municipality of Larnaca to support the local community, including schools, clubs, maritime sports, professionals, and the general public, "instead of imposing unjustified fee increases and pushing us out."

Additionally, he emphasized the need for "immediate essential improvements" at Larnaca Marina, primarily the dredging of the marina’s entrance and maintenance of the rear piers.

"We want to be part of the discussions about the future of marinas and key infrastructure in Larnaca and Cyprus in general, and to participate in the relevant committees," he concluded.