MPs from all political parties have agreed on the urgent need to construct a new parliament building in Cyprus, citing concerns over the existing premises’ functionality, safety and health conditions.
The issue was raised on Friday during a discussion of the House of Representatives’ 2027 budget. MPs said a new building would also demonstrate respect for democracy and the institution of parliament.
House budget stands at €36.9 million
Deputy Director-General of the House, Andreas Christodoulou, told the House Finance Committee that the parliament’s budget accounts for just 0.31% of total state spending.
The House’s expenditure for 2027 is set at €36.9 million, while the medium-term framework provides for annual spending of €38.2 million in both 2028 and 2029.
Personnel costs account for €18.5 million, including €6.9 million in MPs’ remuneration and allowances. Operating expenses stand at €5.3 million, while transfers, including funding for political parties, total €12.4 million. A further €630,000 is allocated to fixed assets and projects under construction.
Christodoulou said the House aimed to improve its public image and become more outward-looking and accessible to citizens, in line with the role of a modern parliament.
Parliament plans digital upgrades
The House’s plans for 2027 include funding to record, classify, digitise and document its archives covering the period from 1960 to 1980. The material is expected to become accessible through an online application at a later stage.
The digital transition will also involve digitising records and using advanced artificial intelligence tools to transcribe parliamentary proceedings. Infrastructure is also being planned to enable live broadcasts of parliamentary committee meetings.
AI increases MPs’ questions and legislative proposals
Christodoulou also highlighted a sharp increase in the workload handled by parliamentary services.
He said the use of artificial intelligence had led to a significant rise in the number of parliamentary questions and legislative proposals submitted by MPs. These require extensive legal and technical processing by House staff.
He added that ministries had complained about the volume of questions they receive, saying they struggle to respond to them all in time.
Christodoulou clarified that the House does not assess MPs’ work quantitatively and that online tools claiming to evaluate their performance are not operated by parliament.
He stressed that he was not seeking to discourage MPs from exercising their constitutionally guaranteed rights, but called for greater emphasis on the quality rather than the quantity of their work.
MPs call for decision on new building
The House’s 2027 plans include €30,000 to update the architectural designs for a new parliament building.
Christodoulou said construction would require a political decision, stressing that the issue was not simply about appearances but also about functionality. He said the existing building had several problems that could lead to further safety and health concerns, adding that €200,000 had been spent on repairs last year alone.
All MPs present at the committee meeting agreed on the need for a new building.
Committee chairman and DIKO MP Chrysis Pantelides called for a unanimous decision to move the project forward, saying parliament should overcome fears of criticism over the cost. He noted that parliamentary buildings were among the most impressive structures in many capital cities.
DISY MP Demetris Demetriou said the House needed to have the confidence to decide to proceed with construction, pointing to the shortcomings and operational problems of the current premises.
Fellow DISY MP Savia Orphanidou described the project as a political decision that needed to be taken. She said Cyprus had an important role to play as a European country and in the Eastern Mediterranean, adding that the House regularly hosted prominent foreign leaders.
AKEL MP Aristos Damianou said parliament should be more assertive towards the executive branch. He also highlighted the small share of the state budget allocated to the House and the lack of adequate space in committee rooms to accommodate invited guests.
Damianou said the decision to construct a new building should be taken collectively and advanced over the coming years. He described it as a sign of civilisation and respect for democracy, calling parliament the “temple of democracy”.
ELAM MP Marios Pelekanos said the building would remain for future generations and serve as a symbol of the institution. He also raised questions about safety and health concerns at the existing premises.
Alma Movement leader Odysseas Michaelides referred to the history of the project, noting that the first designs were drawn up in 1995 and had been updated several times since. However, he said the project had not moved forward because, in his view, there had been no willingness from the Ministry of Transport.
He called on all parliamentary parties to jointly demand that the project be set in motion. Michaelides also suggested that the existing building could eventually be used by another public service.
Direct Democracy MP Yiannis Laouris referred to the design of the new Archaeological Museum, which is shaped like a ship, and said he would prefer the parliament building to resemble a spaceship to reflect forward-looking thinking.
However, he questioned the prospect of spending €150 million on a building based on designs dating back to 1995. He also called for greater digitalisation, wider use of artificial intelligence and more accountability from parliamentary services.
Call for a dedicated legal service
Michaelides also called for the House to examine the creation of its own legal service, which MPs and political parties could approach for legal advice.
He acknowledged that some legal support was already provided by parliamentary services but said it should be organised more systematically.
Christodoulou said an earlier attempt to establish such a service had been abandoned. He also pointed to the need for legal representation of the House before the Supreme Constitutional Court in cases involving laws referred by the executive branch.
Meanwhile, MPs Demetris Demetriou, Aristos Damianou and Odysseas Michaelides called for greater transparency over the job descriptions and service schemes governing House staff.
Also read: Christodoulides seeks confidence-building measures and date for trilateral meeting
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