Justice Minister Costas Fytiris said on Thursday that a final decision on building Cyprus’s new prison at Agios Sozomenos depends on a master plan and related studies, but that the aim is for construction to start before the end of 2027.
Speaking to reporters, Fytiris said three options were being examined. Mathiatis had been the priority, but it was set aside.
“Because of the very high financial cost, since it has no infrastructure at all, we set Mathiatis aside and are examining Agios Sozomenos,” he said.
The studies, carried out with the help of the European Development Bank, will show whether Agios Sozomenos is the final solution, he said.
“I have committed to the affected municipalities that as soon as we have the master plan I will present it to them, and they will tell us their views and what they would like changed,” he said.
Asked whether there was an alternative plan, he said there was, but that it would be very difficult. For now, the focus was on weighing the pros and cons, with a final decision to follow the master plan and the studies.
The prison will not be completed next year, he said. “The aim is for the bulldozers to go in before the end of 2027.”
Asset confiscation
Fytiris said following the money could expose the real culprits “because the heads always hide”.
“Following the money and non-conviction-based confiscation of property that cannot be justified is a huge weapon,” he said.
“I want to believe that parliament will view it positively and that we will finally find the middle ground so that this bill also passes, which is very important for fighting organised crime, and above all the heads of organised crime,” he said.
Fytiris was speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with staff from his ministry, the police, the Prisons Department and the fire service. He said he thought it right that all staff should meet twice a year so they knew the ministry’s goals, and that the ministry’s role was to support its three services so they could carry out their work.
Information from Cyprus News Agency
