Larnaca port ‘a history of failure’, says union

After 20 years of failed efforts to privatise Larnaca port, the project should be entrusted to the port authority, Peo union charged on Wednesday.

It organised an event dubbed ‘Larnaca port, a history of failure. How it can be transformed to a success story’.

Peo general secretary Sotiroulla Charalambous said the fact of the matter is that talks over the project with Larnaca marina have been ongoing for 20 years, without tangible hope the project can materialise.

“Larnaca port is declining with infrastructure that does not meet the needs of the economy and cargo. Port employees continue to live in uncertainty over their working future.”

Sidikek-Peo general secretary Nicos Gregoriou underlined that as things stand, there is only a one-way solution which is to hand over the project to the port authority.

For this to be successful, an integrated plan needs to be prepared, including economic, social and environmental aspects, he said.

Resorting to the private sector for the third time after everything that happened would be counterproductive and damage the country’s economy and society, Gregoriou said.

In May, the government moved to terminate its agreement with Kition Ocean Holdings over the Larnaca port and marina project, leaving the future of the stalled €1.2 billion development up in the air yet again.

Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades said the government was left with no other choice after Kition repeatedly failed to pay its financial guarantee.