Yermasoyia, Cyprus. Authorities are examining whether to publicly release details of about 1,300 buildings classified as unsafe, following a fatal collapse in Yermasoyia that killed two people.
Proposal to disclose dangerous buildings
Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou has urged district local government organisations (EOAs) to consider publishing information on buildings deemed dangerous, saying it would help inform tenants who may not have been notified and protect human life through timely and comprehensive information.
The buildings are part of construction records transferred to local authorities when responsibility shifted from the central government.
Focus on ageing building stock
The proposal comes as scrutiny of structural safety intensifies amid an ageing building stock and the absence of mandatory inspection requirements.
More than 270,000 buildings in Cyprus are over 25 years old, including 114,000 built before 1981 and at least 45 years old.
Pressure on owners and updated records
Ioannou said publishing the list would place substantial pressure on owners to fulfil their obligations and contribute to preventing new tragic incidents.
He also called for updated records, urging local bodies to review and expand existing lists of dangerous buildings.
Funding and support for inspections
The ministry has made available a €2 million fund to support interventions where authorities are required to act directly to eliminate risks.
EOAs may draw on the fund in cases where it becomes necessary for them to take measures themselves.
Since October, the ministry has offered to cover the cost of private experts to accelerate inspections, aiming to speed up the identification of dangerous buildings and the implementation of immediate measures.
Would you want authorities to publish the locations and details of buildings officially classified as unsafe?