Nicosia district awaits access to €2m dangerous buildings fund

Nicosia, Cyprus. The Nicosia district government is awaiting instructions from the interior ministry on how to access a €2 million fund approved to address dangerous buildings. The issue has received increased attention following building collapses elsewhere on the island.

Funding transfer

District governor Constantinos Yiorkadjis told the Cyprus News Agency that the organisation was waiting for guidance from the ministry on accessing the funding.

The money was initially approved for Nicosia municipality but was transferred to the district government following the 2024 local government reform, when responsibility for dangerous buildings was moved to district governments.

Nicosia mayor Charalambos Prountzos said the ministry had assured the municipality that the funding would remain available for the district.

Buildings register

The latest district government register lists 656 dangerous buildings across Nicosia district, while another 55 buildings have been classified as requiring repairs.

Within the capital’s municipal boundaries, 171 buildings are considered dangerous and a further 28 require repairs.

Joint inspections

The municipality and district government have begun conducting joint inspections.

Prountzos said cooperation between the two authorities had made property assessments easier, as the municipality already maintained records for some buildings.

Under the current system, the municipality handles nuisance complaints, while the district government is responsible for identifying dangerous buildings. Prountzos said the division can cause practical difficulties where a building is both dangerous and causing a nuisance, as municipal employees may be unable to intervene safely.