Cyprus

Interior Minister prioritises three bills, focus on dangerous buildings

By: SigmaLive English

Date:

Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou has called for the immediate start of article-by-article discussion on three key bills concerning dangerous buildings Cyprus, jointly-owned properties, and the restructuring of the civil protection framework.

Speaking after attending the House Interior Committee, the Minister stressed the need to improve the legal framework governing the removal of building hazards and said the government is ready to cooperate closely with Parliament.

Focus on dangerous and jointly-owned buildings

Ioannou said the first priority is draft legislation on dangerous buildings in Cyprus, noting that the current legal framework already gives District Local Government Organisations the authority to act, but still leaves room for improvement.

He referred to earlier proposals that were developed in collaboration with the Interior Ministry and urged lawmakers to begin detailed examination of the bill without delay.

The second bill concerns jointly-owned buildings, which the Minister said addresses long-standing issues such as disputes between property owners, unpaid communal fees, and inadequate maintenance.

He explained that the legislation introduces clearer rights and obligations for owners, mandatory reserve funds for maintenance, strengthened management committees, and compulsory insurance for both buildings and individual units.

Civil protection restructuring plan

The third legislative priority involves a broader reform of civil protection services, with plans to establish a General Directorate of Civil Protection under the Ministry of Interior.

The proposed restructuring aims to bring all relevant services, including firefighting-related functions, under one umbrella to improve coordination and resource management.

Funding, inspections and enforcement

Ioannou said concerns raised by local authorities regarding the cost of implementing the jointly-owned buildings law have been addressed through a financial viability study estimating around €1.5 million and additional staffing needs.

He added that costs could be recovered through fees imposed on management committees.

The Minister also highlighted ongoing efforts to map dangerous buildings in Cyprus in cooperation with the Technical Chamber of Cyprus (ETEK), stressing that not all identified buildings require demolition but may need targeted intervention.

Fire damage compensation nearly complete

Referring to compensation for fire-affected residents, Ioannou said most payments have already been completed, with only a small number of pending cases under review due to appeals or insurance-related issues.

He said all remaining cases are expected to be finalised soon, reaffirming the government’s commitment to ensuring full compensation and recovery support for affected citizens.

Source: CNA

Also read: Cyprus growth forecast lowered by Central Bank
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