Akkuyu nuclear plant in Turkey

Physicist warns of possible ‘Cyprus evacuation’

A possible accident at under-construction Akkuyu nuclear energy plant in neighbouring Turkey would mean the complete evacuation of Cyprus which is situated in a primary danger zone.

Cyprus Institute nuclear physicist professor Costas Papanicolas warned on Thursday that Nicosia should take the threat of the controversial plant more seriously. “The geographical proximity gives the Cypriot authorities the legal footing in the operating license of the specific plant,” Papanicolas also said.

Earlier this year, it was reported in Turkey that certain signatures on a government-sanctioned environmental impact report had in fact been forged. The ‘specialists’ had resigned six months prior to its submission and the contracting company had then made unilateral changes to the report. The revelation had sparked a protest in the north of Cyprus.