Mazotos community council challenges mobile desalination plant project

On June 22, 2026, the Mazotos community council sent a formal letter to President Nikos Christodoulides requesting the cancellation and review of plans for a mobile desalination plant on the local coastline. The council argues that recent heavy rainfall has improved water reserves, providing an opportunity to reconsider the project under less pressure. A May 2026 preliminary scientific assessment highlighted deficiencies in the licensing and site selection process, noting the lack of a national strategic environmental assessment. The council contends that the project's energy requirements and brine disposal methods were not properly evaluated. Furthermore, independent experts from MER Lab identified the site as unsuitable due to its proximity to ecologically sensitive marine habitats, specifically protected Posidonia seagrass meadows. Technical parameters remain incomplete, which the council claims makes a comprehensive environmental impact assessment impossible. The council has requested an urgent meeting with the President to discuss these environmental and archaeological concerns.