On Thursday 29 August it was reported that some homeowners in houses in the refugee settlements are refusing to vacate the premises, creating obstacles to the implementation of the government's 'KtiZO' programme.
The Cyprus Interior Ministry is trying to find a solution to this problem. The ministry said that the flats in question are in the Strovolos district of Nicosia, in houses that have been declared a state of emergency and are to be demolished.
The ministry also stressed that the tenants are demanding an increase in the rent subsidy, otherwise they will move out. It should be noted that this not only delays the demolition of dilapidated properties, but also the start of construction of new buildings. So far, 327 out of 375 beneficiaries have expressed interest in applying for the KtiZO programme. Based on the number of participants registered so far, the Cypriot government will pay out around €13 million in grants.
As a reminder, the government programme covers a total of 358 buildings with 3,128 apartments in Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca.
Of these, 43 have been identified as having critical stability and structural problems. These buildings, the most dangerous, will be prioritised. They will be demolished and replaced by new buildings within three and a half years.
A further 70 buildings have stability problems in a number of structural elements, and 245 buildings have less critical deficiencies. These two groups of buildings will be renovated rather than demolished. The renovation programme will last 10 years. The tenants of the 43 most dangerous apartment blocks have already started to leave in return for a subsidy. They were given two options to choose from:
- Temporarily relocate to another site and then receive an apartment in a new building built on the site of their demolished complex;
- receive a lump sum compensation from the state for their property and their share of the land.
The KtiZO programme divides beneficiaries into three categories:
- Category 1 includes first generation refugees and second, third and fourth generation refugees who inherited emergency housing, if they have a housing title.
- Category 2 includes those refugees who bought flats in housing estates with money allocated to them by the state.
- Category 3 includes residents who bought a flat from refugees.
Residents of shelters who did not receive an apartment in a house built in place of the demolished one can claim compensation, the amount of which depends on the cadastral value of the property and land. If the shelter is to be repaired rather than demolished, the cost will be borne by the state.