Church loses appeal over Cape Greco monastery

The administrative court rejected an appeal by the Famagusta bishopric seeking to continue the construction of a monastery in Natura 2000 area of Cape Greco, it was reported on Monday.

The court rejected the bishopric’s appeal to stop the demolition in an interim decision on July 25, 2024.

A few months ago, the monastery was found to be under construction on Natura 2000 environmentally protected land. Cyprus is already facing potential legal action in the EU Court of Justice over dozens of Natura 2000 violations.

The bishop in April had initially committed to demolishing the building and restoring the area if its appeal was rejected by the interior ministry.

However, the next day, Famagusta Bishop Vasilios sent a letter to the municipality of Ayia Napa, stating that if the appeal is denied, he would proceed with registering an appeal at the administrative court.

The ministry then assured that they would consider any request by the bishopric to exchange church land within the protected areas of the Natura 2000 Network Special Conservation Zone and Special Protection Zone Cape Greco with land in Ayia Napa, where the monastery in question can be built.

On June 10, the bishopric filed is appeal, which was rejected last week.

In its decision, the court said the stage of its execution, its non-use and operation in a way that refers to a property worthy of protection, as well as its construction without permission and within a protected area, “are all (and every single one) facts that lead away from accepting the arguments of the Metropolis of Constantia and Famagusta”.

The court added that it considered that “essentially, the issue” for the Metropolis of Constantia and Famagusta, “in the event of the execution of the disputed demolition, which is required at this stage to be carried out by the Metropolis itself, ultimately assumes only a dimension of economic value, which even if it wanted to succeed in its appeal, it could be compensated for, provided of course that the other conditions for this are met”.