26.04.2024
Larnaca marina project with an investment of 1.2 billion euros is still not resolved, the management company, which has not yet paid the guarantee fee, is trying to increase its income in the midst of this situation.
Seafarers were asked to rent small kiosks at the entrance to the port, which were provided to them as compensation for the significant reduction in their business turnover. The most incredible thing is that rent was requested from professionals on April 18th. Three days later, that is, after a meeting at the Presidential Palace, during which the President of the Republic brought Kition to the attention of officials Ocean Holdings and Roundtown , that without payment of a guarantee for the port, the signed contract cannot be considered valid.
In a letter that reveals Filelephtheros , Kition Ocean Holdings tells seafarers it will introduce a monthly rent of 100 euros for kiosks and asks them to pay three months’ advance payment starting May 1. The seafarers were also told that they must pay off all their debts by April 30, otherwise the port authorities have every right to remove their kiosks.
“They ruined us, and now they demand more,” said Angelos Assiotis , owner of mini-cruise ships, recalled that exactly one year ago, sailors closed the entrance to the port due to increased mooring fees introduced by the company at a time when they were suffering significant losses in income due to the closure of the guarded marina. “As soon as they came to power, they increased the fees by 15%, saying that there will be infrastructure, luxury hotels, mansions, a lot of people will come and therefore prices should change. We feel very disappointed because they have taken over the pier and the port and are only making profit and deceiving us in the process,” he added, pointing out that some people should be held accountable. “Those who signed these agreements must resign and publicly apologize because this is truly a great shame for the Cypriot people…”
Once again concerned about the survival of the Larnaca sailors , Assiotis noted that he himself was forced to move his boats to other provinces. “None of us will survive in the end. “There are 30 families here and our work has been reduced by 80% compared to 2022. They tell us that the embankment has not been completed, but they ask us for rent and payment of debts. However, since we do not work in winter, we pay off all our obligations in June and July. Not only have they destroyed marine tourism and Larnaca’s coastal shipping , but they also require upfront payment and additional fees,” he said, noting that the quality of services offered has been reduced.
Noting that boat owners ” paid for a big investment” that ended up being, in his words, “an anchorage and a trampoline”, Chris Stakas , president of the Cyprus Yacht Owners Association, requested information from the Ministry of Transport.
“They forced an increase of more than 50% on us. It’s time for those who allowed them to behave this way to take responsibility. Unfortunately, the state did not rise to the occasion, and we demand a meeting with the Minister of Transport.”
The President of the Cyprus Yacht Owners Association further condemned that “through its behavior the contracting company managed to force the relocation of more than 50 boats that had been in the harbor for many years. Most went to Ayia Napa , some foreigners went to the occupied territories, and some to Greece. We are talking about a pier that has always been in demand and filled. Now there are vacancies there, but people don’t come.”
He also added that nothing justified the increase introduced, since the level of services offered had been reduced. “They charged fees and increased the cost of any service provided, even though they themselves were responsible for it. For example, an engineer who wants to work on my boat has to pay 1000 euros per year, and the costs are passed on to us. Also, if we use the tap there is a fee of 150-200 euros to pay, but they make us sign that they don’t take any responsibility. Meanwhile, the small docks have not changed, and some are dilapidated. They even charge us money for garbage, although there was no such fee before.”
It is noted that Phileleftheros sent a request to the company to respond to the accusations of the boat owners; however, there was no response.
Source and photo: www.news.cyprus-property-buyers.com, Editor estateofcyprus.com
