Police forces were deployed Wednesday at the Liopetri River road network construction site after the former contractor refused to vacate the premises, preventing scheduled works from commencing.
The dispute erupted when former contractor Lois Builders reclaimed access to the site and filed a police complaint against the Town Planning Department for alleged damage to the worksite.
The department subsequently filed its own complaint, resulting in two separate police investigations by Famagusta authorities.
According to sources, the confrontation began last Saturday when the Town Planning Department, acting on legal advice from the Law Office, removed existing fencing, reclaimed the site and installed new barriers to enable the new contractor to begin work today.
The Interior Ministry issued a statement Wednesday afternoon clarifying that the employment of both the engineer and contractor had been terminated in November 2024 “due to significant delays in project execution and failure to meet contractual obligations”. The ministry cited an Audit Office report that had recommended “drastic measures” against both parties.
“Based on legal guidance from the Law Office, the Town Planning Department proceeded last Saturday to recover the worksite as required, given that the area is owned by the Republic of Cyprus,” the ministry statement explained.
Lois Builders maintains that no eviction order exists for their removal from the site and has alleged unequal treatment, claiming that while their complaint to police did not result in a criminal file being opened, the Town Planning Department’s complaint did lead to one.
To expedite completion of the long-delayed project, authorities have divided the works into phases, with the cobblestone road construction phase scheduled for completion by the end of June 2025.
The Interior Ministry stated it “remains committed to executing the project and is taking appropriate actions within the framework of legality and in consultation with its legal advisor.” The ministry added that any legal issues raised “will be resolved in court” and it “does not intend to comment further publicly on the matter”.
As police presence continues at the site, it remains unclear when construction work will actually begin, leaving local residents facing further delays to the infrastructure project.
