After a long bureaucratic delay, the Cyprus Ministry of Transport, Communications and Public Works announced on Wednesday 9 October a second tender for the preparation of a design project for the new building of the Nicosia District Court.
According to the announcement, the ministry intends to build a modern complex that will house the staff of the civil, criminal, administrative and property courts, the economic, family, military and commercial courts, the rent control courts, the labour courts, as well as a library and a cafeteria.
The new Circuit Court will be located to the north of the old building, close to the buffer zone. It will be accessed via a road that runs alongside the Wolseley Barracks, which is administered by the UNFICYP mission.
It is worth noting that the current courthouse, built more than nine decades ago, is in a state of disrepair: the roof leaks, the floors creak and the paint on the walls is peeling in places. Michalis Vorkas, head of the Cyprus Bar Association, said the state of the state-owned building did not meet the standards of European countries. As a result, he said, Cypriot lawyers often feel embarrassed in front of local and international litigants.
It should be recalled that the question of the construction of a new building to meet the needs of the staff of the District Court has been in limbo since 1969.
The realisation of the project has been constantly postponed due to the need to relocate the UNFICYP barracks. Recently, the Minister of Communications and Public Works, Alexis Vafeadis, reached an agreement with UNFICYP to allow limited access through the barracks for 150 vehicles. This has provided the impetus to restart the project.
The tender is expected to take about 15 months. The Ministry will then summarise the results and select a winner to whom a contract will be awarded. The construction of the new building is expected to take about four years.
The cost of the project is estimated at 119 million euros. The entire amount will come from the state budget. The total area of the facility will be 27 thousand m2, and the basement area will be 17 thousand m2. A spacious car park will be built for the convenience of employees and customers.