Nicosia, Cyprus. Justice Minister Costas Firitis said the government aims to begin construction of a new central prison by the end of the year, describing the project as a long-term strategic development.
The proposed facility near the Nicosia district village of Mathiatis is intended to meet security requirements, provide humane conditions for prisoners and improve the working environment for prison staff.
Long-term prison project
Firitis told Politis that the new prison complex would require five years of planning and implementation, citing the need for serious preparation and consistency.
He said the project had already been set in motion and was needed by the country for the coming decades.
Current prison conditions
The minister said the existing central prison was designed for a different era and for far fewer inmates than it currently accommodates.
Its facilities were built 135 years ago and now operate under conditions and requirements different from those for which they were originally designed, he said.
Site and financing preparations
Firitis said a site for the new prison had been identified and that project development procedures had begun.
He said the government was working with the Council of Europe Development Bank on the project’s technical preparation and financing.
Local objections
The proposed site is near Mathiatis, where the government appears determined to proceed despite objections from local residents.
Village mukhtar Theodoros Tsatsos said he had not agreed to the plans and maintained that the project could only proceed with the village’s consent. He said the village already hosts two army camps, archaeological sites, churches and farms, leaving no available space.