CYPRUS: Larnaca worried over oil tank removal delays

Larnaca Municipality has demanded the intervention of Energy Minister George Lakkotrypis to ensure the removal and relocation of petrol and LPG installations from the town’s coastline to Vassiliko in Limassol.

---

The municipality fears that petrol and gas companies may back down from what was agreed.

Larnaca town hall has sent a letter to the Minister warning that they are keeping a close eye on actions taken by the government and the oil and gas companies.

It calls “for the personal intervention and involvement of the Minister of Energy so that there will be no changes to the agreements with the companies which may endanger the timetables, since it is imperative that the construction of the new LPG plants will be able to begin in January 2019".

Under a state road map liquified gas installations are to be removed by 2019 and oil storage tanks by 2020, with checks every three months at both administrative and political levels.

Larnaca Municipality also calls on the Ministry to "intensify its efforts towards companies to complete agreements, both in regard to the storing of liquid fuels and the construction and operation of the anchorage and the transport pipelines, as well as the immediate response of companies in matters pending in connection with the licensing of their facilities".

It is also asking the Ministry to take the necessary measures so as the companies keep to their commitment to present quarterly progress report, which, according to the municipality, they have not.

Larnaca Municipality believes that the Energy Ministry and the Ministry of the Interior should form a working committee to evaluate the situation and send out the necessary messages that they are adamant about applying the government policy on the matter.