Dispute over illegal construction at Cavo Greco enters new phase

The conflict regarding the unauthorized construction of the Holy Monastery of Saints Ephraim and Catherine within the protected Natura 2000 area at Cavo Greco has reached its thirty-month mark. Despite previous court rulings and existing demolition orders, the Metropolis of Constantia and Famagusta is currently seeking the retroactive legalization of the site through the Council for the Study of Deviations (SY.ME.PA.).

On July 15, 2026, the Department of Environment requested official positions from an ad hoc committee tasked with a Special Ecological Assessment. The committee remains divided on the matter: representatives from the Department of Forests and the Game and Fauna Service have issued a conditional approval for the legalization. Conversely, environmental organizations BirdLife Cyprus and Terra Cypria are firmly opposed, citing the risk of establishing a dangerous precedent and demanding that all illegal structures be dismantled.

While state services suggest a path toward conditional compliance, the environmental groups continue to call for the restoration of the protected land. The ongoing deliberations at SY.ME.PA. will ultimately determine whether the monastery remains in its current location or faces the demolition orders previously issued by the courts.