VOLT MP Alexandra Attalides has taken parliamentary action following FastForward’s investigative report into the logging of mature Black Pine trees within a Natura 2000 protected area in the Troodos mountains, announcing the submission of a parliamentary question and the promotion of the matter for ex officio discussion at the House Environment Committee.

In a statement sent to FastForward today, Alexandra Attalides said the revelations raise serious questions not only about the specific logging activity, but about whether the environmental protection framework established by the state was applied in practice. She stressed that any intervention within a Natura 2000 area requires strict scrutiny and prior approval by the Department of Environment, warning that any deviation from this process constitutes a violation of environmental legislation.

The VOLT MP called for the immediate investigation of the legality of any permits that may have been issued and for an assessment of the environmental damage caused. She described the case as particularly alarming given that Cyprus is currently before the Court of Justice of the European Union over systemic failures to meet its obligations regarding the adoption of protection and management decrees for Natura 2000 sites.

Attalides also noted that similar issues have been raised in the past at the Environment Committee, without what she described as satisfactory responses from the Ministry of Environment.

“As Volt, we are submitting a parliamentary question tomorrow demanding clear answers,” Attalides said, adding that the issue will also be promoted as an ex officio item for discussion at the Environment Committee.

The intervention follows FastForward’s investigation into the logging of mature Black Pine trees on Plot No. 948, located between Pedoulas and Prodromos, within the Troodos National Forest Park and fully inside a Natura 2000 site designated both as a Special Area of Conservation and a Special Protection Area.

According to the investigation, a logging permit was issued by the Forestry Department, while no prior environmental approval from the Department of Environment appears to have been granted, raising serious questions about compliance with both national and EU environmental law.