A letter signed by health officials in California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington, asks the CDC to reconsider
California and Washington asked the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in May to validate a new way to test for measles – but after waiting two months, the CDC denied the request, citing “other competing priorities”, according to a letter from the West Coast Health Alliance to CDC director Erica Schwartz.
The letter, signed by health officials in California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington, asks Schwartz to reconsider and validate a rapid, high-volume measles test in preparation for major outbreaks. The alliance also asked the CDC to create protocols to test for other high-priority pathogens to prepare for future outbreaks.
No 10 says Russian president ‘has killed thousands of people, both innocent Ukrainians and his own people’
Downing Street has rejected the description of Vladimir Putin as a “humanitarian” made by Donald Trump’s chief negotiator on the Ukraine war.
Steve Witkoff met the Russian president in St Petersburg on Wednesday as he sought to make a new push to end the invasion of Ukraine, with the US putting pressure on Kyiv to agree to a settlement.
A 44-year-old man has been arrested after being caught attempting to smuggle over 300 kilograms of meat across the Green Line, the Turkish Cypriot police have said.
In total, the man attempted to smuggle 305.4kg of boneless beef and 41kg of lamb tail fat across the Ayios Dhometios crossing point, all of which was seized as evidence.
The police’s investigation into the matter is ongoing.
In the trial of furloughed Paphos mayor Phedonas Phedonos, the woman accusing him of rape was on Thursday cross-examined by the defendant’s lawyers.
The complainant was being cross-examined for a second consecutive hearing by Phedonos’ attorneys – Christos Pourgourides and Nondas Korakidis.
Earlier, she had testified during two hearings. During her testimony, Phedonos was not in the courtroom, but in an adjacent room in the court complex.
According to media reports, the complainant’s cross-examination is expected to continue at the next hearing before Paphos criminal court – set for October 27.
The trial is taking place behind closed doors.
Phedonos faces five distinct charges: rape; indecent assault against a woman; indecent assault against a woman by another act (meaning non-physical); assault causing actual bodily harm; and administering a drug or substance to another person with the intent of rendering that person unable to resist.
He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Once all witnesses for the prosecution have taken the stand, the court will assess the testimony to decide whether a prima facie case has been established against the defendant.
If the court determines that a prima facie case has not been established, it may acquit the defendant at that stage.
If it decides otherwise, Phedonos will be asked to mount his defence – by summoning witnesses. The defendant himself is not legally obliged to take the stand.
Witnesses for the defence may be cross-examined by prosecutors.
Once the defence wraps up, the two sides will deliver their closing arguments.
The court will assess the entirety of the testimony and the evidence, and then deliver a guilty or not-guilty verdict, followed by sentencing in the event of a guilty verdict.
The Pentagon’s Active Denial System shoots energy beam that causes ‘sensation of intense heat on surface of skin’
Pete Hegseth, the US secretary of defense, reportedly signed a memo last month permitting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to test a non-lethal “heat ray” for potential use at the US southern border.
President Nikos Christodoulides has sent a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen demanding that the European Union resume discussions on its mutual defence clause, after the matter found itself at the centre of discussions when EU leaders met in Cyprus in April, but has since fallen off the agenda.
The sending of the letter was confirmed to the Cyprus Mail by presidential press office director Victor Papadopoulos, though he said he could offer no further details, while news website Politico quoted Christodoulides as having written that “I cannot overstate the importance of this provision for the EU and its member states”.
This, he wrote, rings true “especially in times of geopolitical uncertainty”.
“Given the gravity of the challenges we face, Cyprus would welcome the resumption of discussions at the relevant preparatory bodies. I would therefore appreciate an update on the proposals under consideration, as well as a timeline for next steps,” he wrote.
The leaders of the EU’s 27 member states had during a European Council summit in Nicosia in April resolved to demand the creation of a defence “playbook”, with Cypriot government sources at the time lamenting that “nothing has been done” in the decade since the first and only time that the bloc’s mutual defence clause was activated.
It was France which triggered Article 42.7 of the Treaty of the European Union, better known as the Lisbon Treaty, after Paris was hit by a series of terrorist attacks in November 2015.
Article 42.7 not attached to any formal operational plans
While the text of the treaty states that “if a member state is the victim of armed aggression on its territory, the other member states shall have towards it an obligation of aid and assistance by all the means in their power”, it is not attached to any formal operational plans or international military structures.
Government sources lamented in April that “there is no clear picture of procedures, capabilities, or response times across member states”, and also decried what they described as a lack of clarity regarding the types of support which can be requested, what each member state may provide, and how quickly assistance can be delivered.
They also stressed that if a member state triggers Article 42.7, assistance must not be optional.
“It is a legal obligation, not a political choice,” they said, before adding that “member states cannot question the reasons” behind the triggering of the clause if it is triggered, provided that an armed attack has taken place.
However, in the six months since that summit, the matter of defence has slipped down the European agenda, with the most recent European Council summit, held in Brussels, being dedicated largely to the EU’s multiannual financial framework, its budget for the years between 2028 and 2034, while conversations on defence centred on Ukraine, which remains, for now, outside the bloc.
Focus inside EU has now shifted to multi-year budget
The focus on the budget has come with most leaders across Europe aiming to have the next multiannual financial framework devised and agreed upon by the member states by the end of this year.
Christodoulides had said on this matter last week that should an agreement not be reached by the end of this year, “I believe we would be sending a negative message, not only to European citizens, but to the world”.
Mutual defence was most recently discussed at the European Parliament last month, with the EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas decrying “Russia’s hybrid warfare in Europe” and calling for measures to be taken against it.
“Putin is a textbook bully. Moscow’s hybrid attacks are designed to intimidate us, paralyse our societies and make us hesitate to act. That is precisely what Putin wants. We should not let fear dictate our choices. We should match the level of these attacks with concrete action and a confident response. Europe’s security requires it and citizens expect it,” she said.
Cypriot MEPs called for stronger Article 42.7, looser relations with Turkey
In response, Cypriot MEP Costas Mavrides, of Diko, said that “hybrid attacks are also taking place for years by the neo-Ottoman Erdogan regime against member states in the eastern Mediterranean” in reference to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He called for the EU’s mutual defence clause, Article 42.7 of the Treaty of the European Union, which is commonly known as the Lisbon Treaty, to be made “workable and operational”, before telling to Kallas that “your double standard policy is increasing part of the problem” regarding Turkey.
Fellow Cypriot MEP Geadis Geadi, of Elam, also called for the EU to “establish a clear roadmap for activating Article 42.7”, saying that this should “ensure that the mutual defence clause can be applied immediately and effectively”, and also criticised the EU for not treating Turkey and Russia in the same way.
“Mrs Kallas, be careful when you shake hands which are stained with the blood of hundreds and thousands of innocent people,” he said.
The social media personality denies allegations he gave a girl alcohol until she was drunk and sexually assaulted her
The “looksmaxxing” livestreamer Braden Peters, better known by his stage name Clavicular, pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges that he raped a 17-year-old girl at his family’s Massachusetts home.
A social media personality known for promoting extreme devotion to male beauty, Peters, 20, is accused of giving the girl alcohol until she was drunk and then sexually assaulting her when she visited him in Chatham, on Cape Cod, in May 2025.
Federal authorities allege state senator L Louise Lucas, a vocal Trump critic, led a ‘criminal marijuana enterprise’
Virginia state senator L Louise Lucas, one of the state’s most powerful Democrats, was charged on Thursday in connection with what federal authorities alleged was a role leading a criminal enterprise that acquired and distributed large quantities of marijuana and laundered the proceeds.
An indictment unsealed on Thursday charged Lucas and six other defendants, including several of her relatives, the Department of Justice said in a statement. Lucas surrendered on Thursday, a justice department spokesperson said.
Exclusive: Michael Aboud, whose actions in what he believed to be a documentary are likely to come under considerable scrutiny, has expressed anger at the film-maker
• This article contains spoilers for Ali G: Who Iz I?
The chair of the El Paso County Republican Party has said he intends to sue Sacha Baron Cohen over footage of the local politician used in new satircal comedy Ali G: Who Iz I?
In the film, Michael Aboud is shown taking part in a training programme with another Cohen character, ex-Mossad terrorist expert Col Erran Morad, who instructs Aboud and fellow Maga sympathisers in self-defence techniques including the wearing, over clothes, of protective plastic buttocks. He also schools them in how to fire bullets from the middle of these buttocks by the repeated up and down manipulation of a rubber penis.
British Cypriot businessman John Christodoulou said on Thursday that “my mind is with Disy, but my heart is with Akel” as he kept open the possibility of standing in the 2028 presidential election.
Speaking on Sigma, Christodoulou said the decision was difficult and could be made by early next year.
He said he neither “speaks nor thinks like a politician” and that even close friends had questioned his reasoning for considering giving up his comfortable life.
He cited his experience as a refugee, saying he left Cyprus aged nine and still feels the loss of land that belonged to his parents and grandparents.
He said, “52 years had been lost without a solution and that Turkey must return to the negotiating table”.
“I am a refugee, we need to go back to our homes, we must confront the Turk who stole our land”, he said.
He also conceded within the interview his personal limitations with the Greek language, deferring repeatedly into English and acknowledging a limited vocabulary.
The comments followed an interview on Wednesday with ANT1, in which he said he could not accept that no decision had been reached in over five decades of seeking to solve the Cyprus problem.
Christodoulou confirmed his close personal relationship with Direct Democracy leader Fidias Panayiotou but said he was also in discussions with figures from other parties.
Local media reported that Panayiotou had raised his name with party leaders, including Akel, and received no answer.
Akel secretary general Stefanos Stefanou played down speculation that the party was sounding out candidates.
Direct Democracy is also reportedly in talks with Odysseas Michaelides’ Alma party in regard to a joint candidate.
Christodoulou owns Yianis Group, which holds hotels and flats in Canary Wharf and elsewhere in Britain.
The Sunday Times Rich List 2026 puts his wealth at £2.7 billion.
In Cyprus he is active mainly through the Yianis Christodoulou Foundation, and in 2021 he was reported to be close to a £30 million takeover of Omonia football club, but talks with majority owner Stavros Papastavrou reportedly collapsed.
His British business affairs have drawn scrutiny, for in 2012 hotel companies in the group went into administration, costing him a Manchester Marriott and a Park Inn near Heathrow.
In 2022 he reportedly admitted to a tribunal that residents at 1 West India Quay had been overcharged by 26 per cent on utilities.
In March 2024 the UK government began legal action seeking £20.5 million from his companies towards fixing unsafe blocks at Canary Riverside.
The 52nd Cyprus International Rally takes place this weekend, featuring 30 crews from eight countries. The event is the fifth and final round of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship.
Cyprus’ flagship rally, organised by the Cyprus Automobile Association since 1970, will decide this year’s Middle East Rally Championship title. Among the contenders is Qatar’s Nasser Al-Attiyah, the event’s most successful driver with nine victories. A 20-time champion, most recently in 2025, Al-Attiyah leads the standings with 70 points and will compete in a Škoda Fabia.
Saudi Arabia’s 22-year-old Hamza Bakhashab, driving a Toyota Yaris, is second with 66 points. Qatar’s Nasser Khalifa Al-Atya, driving a Ford Fiesta, has 61 points, while Oman’s 2024 champion Abdullah Al-Rawahi, driving a Škoda Fabia, has 56 points.
Top local crews will also be competing for victory, including multiple-time Cypriot champion Simos Galatariotis in a Škoda Fabia and last year’s Cyprus champion Panagiotis Yiangou in a Hyundai i20.
The ceremonial start will take place today at 18:00 at Europe Square on the Larnaca seafront (Phinikoudes). The finish ceremony will also be held there on Sunday at 17:00, followed by the crowning of the 2026 Middle East Rally Champion. The Service Park is located next to the Mall of Cyprus, opposite the E-CARS showroom, and is open to the public.
The scrutineering took place yesterday This morning, the official shakedown and qualifying stages will be held in Tseri, with qualifying determining the starting order for the first leg of the rally. Tomorrow, the mountain stages at Agios Epifanios, Kapouras and Kourdali will be run twice, once in the morning and again in the afternoon.
On Sunday, the stages at Doryforikos, Vavatsinia and Stavrovouni, near Pyrga, will take place. The second run through Stavrovouni, scheduled for 15:13, will serve as the rally’s Power Stage. The rally covers a total distance of 657.74 km, including 183.92 km across 12 gravel special stages
No timetable has been set for the next stages of the Limassol-Saittas road project, despite the government acknowledging delays and reaffirming that the road remains a priority.
The issue was discussed on Thursday at the House transport committee, where Transport Minister Evie Tsolaki stressed the need for coordination between ministries and government departments, noting that sections of the planned road pass through protected Natura 2000 areas.
The environment department told MPs that it expected to issue its assessment by December.
According to Stockwatch, Tsolaki declined to provide a timetable for the next stages of construction, pending the completion of the necessary environmental studies.
MPs and representatives of Limassol’s mountainous and semi-mountainous communities expressed concern over the delays, warning that inadequate road infrastructure was making commuting difficult, posing safety risks and hampering development in rural areas.
Responding to criticism over the order in which construction had begun, Tsolaki said priority had been given to the most heavily used sections of the road.
She added that the government was dealing with longstanding problems concerning the project that predated its term in office.
Despite assurances from the environment department that its assessment would be ready before the end of the year, Tsolaki did not commit to launching a tender in the first half of 2027.
MPs also raised concerns about funding, seeking assurances that the necessary resources would be available.
The finance ministry said it did not anticipate difficulties in releasing funds, provided the project moved forward.
The commissioner for mountainous areas said the Limassol-Saittas road was included in the national strategy for the development of mountainous communities, as it would improve access and strengthen connections with Limassol.
A representative of the union of communities expressed disappointment over the delays, highlighting the difficulties faced by residents, including traffic congestion and lengthy commuting times.
Meanwhile, a representative of the Troodos community complex described completion of the road as essential for the region’s development, arguing that improved accessibility would help retain the population of mountainous communities.
Disy MPs questioned the reasons for the delays and argued that rural areas contributed more to the economy than they received in public investment.
They stressed that infrastructure projects should not be assessed solely on their economic viability, but should also take into account the needs of local communities.
MPs also questioned the effectiveness of coordination between the ministries involved.
Akel MPs challenged the reliability of government timetables, pointing out that residents of mountainous communities faced disproportionately high commuting costs because of long travelling distances and rising fuel prices.
They said a 3.5km section had saved commuters ten minutes and called on the finance ministry to commit to releasing funds.
Road safety was another concern raised during the discussion, with MPs saying nine people had lost their lives in accidents on the road.
Elam argued that Limassol was lagging behind in major public infrastructure projects despite its strong economic activity and private sector performance.
Direct Democracy, meanwhile, warned that it would not vote in favour of the budget unless the Limassol-Saittas road project was included.
The issue is expected to be discussed again at the House transport committee’s next meeting.
Hadassah Medical Centre Limassol said on Thursday that it operates legally with the required licences and has never performed plasmapheresis on a patient.
In a statement, the centre said an earlier report made by Politis gave “misleading impressions that require immediate correction”.
It denied that specific complaint was pending, and it had not been informed of any finding that questioned its current operation.
Politis had reported that the health ministry was examining new complaints and that the centre holds only an imaging centre licence.
Deputy permanent secretary Elisavet Constantinou told the paper it has no hospital licence or other licence to operate as a healthcare facility, though Politis clarified that this in itself did not make any other activity unlawful.
Hadassah said a separate medical centre licence is not required for its current activities beyond professional and individual requirements, and that the licence for its radiology department had been secured.
It said a possible upgrade to a day care unit would be a separate licensing process and did not mean it was waiting for a licence for its current services.
On plasmapheresis, Politis reported that ministry inspectors had found the equipment during an inspection.
Hadassah said the equipment “was not concealed” and that a list naming the plasmapheresis system and an ozone therapy unit was sent to the ministry on August 26 as part of the final file for the imaging centre licence.
“The purchase of equipment for a planned service does not constitute proof that the service was provided,” it said.
Politis had also pointed out that only three doctors appear on the centre’s website.
Hadassah said it had already given the paper a list of 15 doctors and two clinical dietitians, and that it employs five licensed nurses and seven physical therapy and exercise professionals.
A further 15 doctors are under discussion with Hadassah but have not been announced as according to the centre “approvals are incomplete”, and it is not presenting them yet as partners.
Politis reported that some examinations or treatments may have involved doctors in Israel taking part by telephone or video link, a claim it said had not been independently verified.
Hadassah called this a misrepresentation of its second opinion service, expanding that the local doctor reviews the file and, if a second opinion is warranted and the patient agrees, prepares a report with specific clinical questions for a specialist at Hadassah in Jerusalem.
The process “does not involve tele-guidance” of a procedure in Cyprus by a doctor in Israel, it insisted.
Chief executive Dr George Zachariadis had earlier given Politis no direct answer on teleconference participation.
The centre said it “accepts the audit and responds with evidence” but would not tolerate publications that harm its reputation through “inaccuracies and insinuations”.
The centre, based in Ayios Tychonas, has no operating theatres or inpatient beds and advertises its offering being imaging, cardiac assessment, neurological rehabilitation and physiotherapy.
In Israel, news outlet Calcalist reported that the health and finance ministries were not informed of the project beforehand.
Hadassah said it “did not invest a single shekel” in the centre, which is financed by Cypriot investors.
From November 21, all referrals from Cyprus to Hadassah in Jerusalem will go through Limassol.
The Cyprus Mail approached the Hadassah medical centre, as well as both the Cypriot and Israeli health ministries for comment.
Customs officers seized 28,000 suspected counterfeit condoms during an inspection of a sea shipment arriving from Greece on Thursday.
The container was selected for scanning and a physical inspection following a risk assessment.
According to customs, the products appeared to infringe the intellectual property rights of a well-known brand, based on the accompanying documents and invoices.
The owner of the company involved reportedly admitted that the condoms were counterfeit.
Procedures for the confiscation and destruction of the products are expected to follow in the coming days.
Customs warned that counterfeit condoms could pose serious health risks, including unwanted pregnancies and the transmission of sexually transmitted infections.
Minnesota congresswoman Ilhan Omar said she plans to move out of her Washington DC apartment after federal agents raided her residence last week as part of a larger immigration investigation.
“I mean obviously, I can’t continue to live there,” Omar told MS Now in an interview that aired on Wednesday. “So we have to figure out where to move to, because our address has been public and with the death threats that I deal with, it’s no longer going to be feasible to be in that house and have my kids, like, visiting off and on, having people track them.”
Larnaca interest groups as well as MPs were stunned to hear on Thursday that management of the marina cannot be directly assigned to the Ports Authority, throwing a spanner into redevelopment plans.
Up until now, management of the town’s port and marina, for the purposes of redevelopment, had been understood to be under the Ports Authority (CPA).
But in parliament, it emerged that management of the marina cannot legally be assigned directly to the CPA, as it is the property of the state. As such, said an official from the attorney-general’s office, the only option is to launch an open tender – in which the CPA could bid.
By contrast, the port itself is the property of the CPA, and therefore the authority may continue managing it.
Transport Minister Evi Tsolaki acknowledged the legal quagmire, but assured attendees of the government’s intention to proceed with the project overall.
She recalled that in 2024 the government terminated the €1.2 billion port and marina concession agreement with Kition Ocean Holdings due to the consortium’s failure to renew a mandatory financial letter of guarantee.
A representative of the CPA noted that the road map for the redevelopment concerns both the port and the marina.
Nevertheless, he argued, completing one of the components does not depend on completing the other – suggesting that the planned works for the port could go ahead in the meantime.
Weighing in, the head of the Larnaca district local government organisation (EOA) called for legal clarity on the status of the project.
Angelos Hadjicharalambous said that during a prior meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides and the former transport minister, the government had given the impression it was committed to the project.
Likewise, the deputy mayor of Larnaca complained about the legal confusion, which would create more delays for a project that is hugely significant for the coastal city.
Nikos Gregoriou, a representative of the PEO trade union, said the port must remain under state management, warning against any thoughts at privatisation.
Opposition MPs also asked why the government had not come clean earlier on the legal aspect.
In July this year, the CPA had unveiled a roadmap for a €415 million redevelopment programme for the port and marina envisaging phased investment over the next two decades.
The overall programme extended to 2045, with the master plan expected to be completed by 2029.
The largest component concerns the port, where investment of around €205 million is planned through to 2045.
A further €190 million has been allocated for redevelopment of the marina land and adjacent areas between 2027 and 2036.
The roadmap envisaged hotels, restaurants, office space, recreation facilities and a conference centre, with most commercial projects expected to be undertaken by private investors.
The CPA would undertake responsibility for infrastructure, maintenance and strategic management, while commercial and tourism developments would be financed largely through private investment under the overall planning framework.
According to the roadmap, the strategic objective is to bolster Larnaca’s role in shipping while reconnecting the waterfront through continuous public access between the marina and port.
The officer says he took possession of the property and renovated it ‘to prevent criminal activity’ and ‘squatting’
A Florida police officer who discovered a man dead during a welfare check stole his house and identity and spent years renovating the property for himself, authorities said.
Brian Louis Sguros, 35, an officer with the Lauderhill police department near Miami, appeared in court Wednesday on charges including criminal use of a deceased person’s identification.
The European Consumer Centre Cyprus handled 864 cross-border complaints and 557 requests for information in 2025, resolving approximately 53 per cent of enquiries and cases successfully, according to its annual report.
The centre said cases were resolved in cooperation with European Consumer Centres in other member states, with the aim of reaching out-of-court settlements that satisfied the parties involved.
Only 4.8 per cent of cases were referred to other alternative dispute resolution bodies, the report found.
Consumer satisfaction with the centre’s case-handling services reached 95.24 per cent, a level the report described as a long-standing achievement.
The European Consumer Centre Cyprus operates within the Consumer Protection Service of the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry.
It provides free advice and practical assistance to consumers experiencing problems with cross-border transactions within the European Union, as well as in Norway and Iceland.
As part of its public information and education activities, more than 1,114 primary school pupils took part in the “Safe Online Shopping” educational programme during 2025.
Centre officials also appeared on television and radio programmes to inform the public about consumer rights, with particular emphasis on air travel and online shopping.
The centre additionally participated in surveys, consultations and questionnaires organised by the European Commission and the European consumer network.
Through these contributions, it provided evidence-based responses and helped strengthen consumer information and protection across the single market.
The report highlighted the centre’s work in handling cross-border complaints, educating consumers and contributing to wider European efforts to protect consumer rights.
MPs on Thursday called for tighter controls on property purchases by foreign nationals, warning that legislation restricting individual buyers could prove ineffective unless companies and other corporate structures were also covered.
The House interior committee continued examining proposed amendments to legislation governing the acquisition of property by foreigners, with discussions expected to resume in a fortnight.
The committee is awaiting the government’s next steps towards drafting a comprehensive legislative proposal regulating property acquisitions by foreign nationals.
Committee chairman and Akel MP Aristos Damianou said efforts to introduce the legislation were gathering pace, expressing hope that the process could be concluded by the end of the year.
He said consolidated drafts had been prepared in April, but the process was interrupted by the parliamentary elections in May.
Damianou described the issue as “particularly serious”, saying it concerned national security, the economy and the country’s future.
“We are a partially occupied state, part of whose territory is occupied by Turkey, whilst part of its territory is under the control of British bases,” he said, stressing the need to establish clear criteria and restrictions on property acquisitions.
He also raised concerns about property transactions conducted through contracts that, he said, were often not made public, allowing foreign interests to acquire property through companies and other intermediary arrangements.
Damianou warned that legislation focusing exclusively on individuals would be insufficient.
“If issues concerning natural persons, companies, funds and all those who purchase property in Cyprus in a concealed manner are not also regulated, then regulating natural persons alone will be insufficient,” he said.
Disy MP Nikoletta Konstantinou also called for a comprehensive approach, saying the proposed legislation concerned the Republic’s strategic interests and national security.
She expressed concern that restrictions applying only to individuals could undermine the effectiveness of the legislation, arguing that both natural and legal persons should be covered.
“There is little point in discussing whether a natural person will be unable to purchase a property, be it 1,000, 2,000 or 4,000 square metres, if the beneficial owner themselves will ultimately be able to acquire property through a corporate structure,” she said.
Konstantinou argued that the government should have presented a comprehensive proposal taking into account European law, the property market and Cyprus’ investment policy.
“Our aim must be a framework that genuinely protects national security and the Republic’s strategic interests, without creating unjustified or disproportionate restrictions that ultimately cause problems for the country’s economic and investment activity,” she said.
Meanwhile, Diko MP Panikos Leonidou called for immediate action to regulate land purchases by third-country nationals.
He said the situation had reached “uncontrolled proportions” and was causing concern among citizens.
Leonidou urged Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou and his ministry to take the initiative and introduce comprehensive legislation.
“The ministry of the interior must immediately table a bill covering all aspects of this problem,” he said.
The construction of a tramway in Limassol could cost as much as €95 million per kilometre, the city’s mayor Yiannis Armeftis said on Thursday, as he evaluated the prospects for a tramway to be built in Cyprus’ second city.
“Preliminary estimates vary significantly depending on the technology to be used, with the cost ranging from €25m to €95m per kilometre,” he told television channel Sigma, though he did stress that “such an investment should not be evaluated solely based on construction costs”.
Instead, he said, “the equation should take into account the benefits which could arise from upgrading transit areas, increasing the value of land and real estate, and improving people’s quality of life”.
On this front, he made reference to “the economic cost caused by traffic delays through lost working hours and people’s travel time”, with Limassol frequently subject to long rush-hour tailbacks on its road network.
He said that Cyprus is “excessively dependent on the private car”, and that that makes his own city’s traffic issue “particularly difficult to deal with”.
“No city has solved its traffic problem when dependence on the private car reaches around 90 per cent. Traffic can be managed properly when public transport is also used,” he said.
Govt currently spends €100m per year on public transport
At present, he said, the government spends around €100m per year on public transport, of which around a quarter is spent on Limassol.
However, he added, “despite these significant expenditures, the use of buses remains limited”. To this end, he pointed out that only three to five per cent of journeys undertaken across Cyprus involve a bus, and said that “long delays and time-consuming routes discourage people” from using the bus to travel.
“It is not convenient because it has also lost its credibility,” he said, though he did stress that on the other hand, when a bus route is both reliable and useful, the public may take to it.
He gave the example of Limassol’s number 30 bus route, which runs along its coastal road, and said that “frequent and fast routes are a basic requirement for people to choose the bus instead of the car”.
On the matter of the possibility of constructing a tramway, he said that he had attended a meeting at the transport ministry on Monday, during which “the first steps of the studies were presented, as well as preliminary data on the possibility of installing a tram in Limassol”.
“The aim of the process is to examine whether this is a realistic and sustainable option, which could function complementarily to other means of public transport,” he said.
Availability of space ‘one of the main challenges’
Asked how a tramway could be installed in a city where “available road space is already limited”, he said that “this is one of the main challenges of the project”.
Nonetheless, he pointed out that bus lanes have already been installed in Limassol, and that they could be “used as tram corridors”.
He also pointed out that “other European cities” with “even smaller populations or dense construction” have also managed to build tramways.
“Behaviour changes when there are appropriate routes and when there is appropriate infrastructure,” he said.
Prountzos had called for tramway in Nicosia
His comments come after Nicosia mayor Charalambos Prountzos had last month renewed his call for a tramway to be built in the capital, saying that the Nicosia municipality had initially prepared a study for a 14-kilometre tram line, and that after he took office in 2024, the length of the planned line grew to 20km.
Regarding how the plans could be financed, pointed out that the European Union’s next multiannual financial framework – the bloc’s budget for the period covering the years between 2028 and 2034 – enters force “in about a year”, and said that as such, discussions about a tramway “should have already started” with a view to securing EU funding.
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