Cyprus Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou, today, outlined new measures aimed at increasing the country’s shelter capacity and improving civil protection in emergencies. The measures were announced following a meeting of the Cabinet, which reviewed the results of recent inspections of Civil Defence shelters.
According to Ioannou, the inspections revealed that 194 shelters listed in the official registry were either unsuitable or no longer existed, leading to their declassification. Additionally, 288 shelters have been reclassified as private spaces for use only by their owners or tenants. The Ministry has begun the process of removing these from the SafeCY application, which will be completed in the coming days.
For the remaining shelters, Ioannou noted that some require cleaning and the relocation of items to ensure they are ready to host citizens in case of emergency. The Interior Ministry is working with the owners to facilitate this process.
The Minister also highlighted the flaws in the shelter policy implemented since 1999, particularly the creation of shelters in existing private buildings, which he described as insufficient. To address this, a new approach has been adopted, focusing on larger public spaces such as underground parking areas, church basements, shopping mall parking, and hotel spaces. With this new methodology, the population coverage has increased from 30% to around 45%, and more spaces are being gradually added to the SafeCY app.
Furthermore, Ioannou revealed that the government is collaborating with various sectors, including business associations, hoteliers, supermarkets, and the church, to secure large underground spaces that would require minimal preparation and accommodate a larger number of people.
In addition to these efforts, the Cabinet approved a new urban planning incentive to increase the number of shelters. Going forward, applications for developments with basements will have the option of utilizing a 5% increase in building density, allowing part of the basement to be used as a shelter. This measure applies to new applications and existing approved developments, particularly in parking areas that cannot be repurposed for other uses in the future.
The Minister emphasized that this measure is expected to be utilized by the construction sector, contributing to the increase in shelter capacity and better protection of the population in the event of military conflict.
Finally, Ioannou spoke about the Cabinet’s approval of a new law aimed at transitioning civil defence into a more comprehensive civil protection system. The bill, titled “Civil Protection and Related Issues Law 2026,” establishes a legal framework for the creation of a National Civil Protection Mechanism and the appointment of a National Civil Protection Coordinator.
The Minister also announced an upgrade to the SafeCY application, which will now send targeted notifications to users in a specific radius around security incidents, further enhancing the early warning system for citizens. While this service is currently available to those with the SafeCY app installed, the Ministry is working on the complete implementation of the Early Warning System.
Ioannou concluded by reaffirming the government’s commitment to addressing the identified weaknesses in the shelter system and early warning mechanisms. The overarching goal is to ensure the protection of citizens, strengthen population resilience, and improve the state’s response to emergencies.
Read more:
