A total of €2 million has been allocated to address the problem of dangerous buildings in Nicosia, but the District Local Government Organisation (EOA) is not yet able to use the funds. According to its head, Constantinos Yiorkadjis, the organisation is waiting for clarification from the Ministry of Interior on how to access the fund.
The money was originally provided to Nicosia Municipality. Following the 2024 local government reform, responsibility for dangerous buildings was transferred to the EOA. Along with these powers, the organisation assumed responsibility for dealing with unsafe structures, but the mechanism for using the funding already allocated has yet to be resolved.
How many dangerous buildings are there in Nicosia?
According to the latest EOA register, there are 712 problematic properties across 72 administrative areas in the Nicosia district:
- 657 buildings have been classified as dangerous;
- 55 properties require repairs.
Within the capital itself, there are 171 dangerous buildings and another 28 structures in need of repair. The EOA also publishes an interactive map showing their locations. Nicosia Municipality and the EOA carry out joint inspections, although their responsibilities differ: the municipality handles complaints concerning public order violations, while the district organisation identifies buildings that pose a safety risk. If a dangerous building also threatens neighbouring properties or passers-by, additional complications can arise, as specialists are not always able to enter the building safely and carry out the necessary work. Owners of dangerous properties are already being sent official notices requiring them to remedy the problems. Further action depends on their response.
Why the problem has become particularly urgent
The issue of dangerous buildings in Cyprus gained renewed urgency following the tragedy in the Germasogeia area of Limassol on 11 April 2026, when a residential building partially collapsed, killing two people. After the tragedy, the authorities stepped up inspections of residential properties. In April alone, specialists examined around 200 buildings in central Nicosia, while the total number of buildings classified as dangerous across Cyprus was estimated at approximately 1,466.
Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said legislation needs to be strengthened and monitoring of building conditions improved. Measures under discussion include creating a national digital register of dangerous buildings, publishing information about them and introducing more effective mechanisms for intervention by the authorities. Officials stress that a building being classified as “dangerous” does not necessarily mean it must be demolished. In many cases, the problem can be addressed through repairs and structural reinforcement.
What will happen to the €2 million fund?
The government previously allocated €2 million over a two-year period to the EOAs so they could take action against dangerous buildings when owners fail to fulfil their obligations. In Nicosia, however, a practical problem has emerged: the district organisation is responsible for the buildings but is still waiting for instructions from the Ministry of Interior that would allow it to access the allocated funding.
With hundreds of dangerous buildings in the district, the issue is becoming increasingly urgent. The Cypriot authorities are also considering a more systematic approach, ranging from regular technical inspections to a unified digital register that would make it possible to monitor building conditions and risk levels. This is particularly important for the island’s ageing housing stock: following the Germasogeia tragedy, technical experts have called for a shift from reacting to problems after they occur to carrying out regular preventive inspections of buildings.