The President of the Limassol Real Estate Agents Association is calling for the release of the findings regarding the fatal apartment building that collapsed in Germasogeia.

Speaking on the Alpha Kalimera program, Yiannis Tsoulofta, President of the Limassol Real Estate Association, emphasized that responsibility for the condition of private property lies exclusively with the owner, citing both the existing legal framework and the bills pending in Parliament, which stipulate that every citizen is responsible for their own property and cannot expect the state or other citizens to pay for their own negligence.

When asked about the status of the investigation into the collapse of the apartment building in Limassol, which led to the tragic deaths of two people, he stated that it is at a critical juncture, as the experts’ findings are expected to be made public.

“It is an extremely unusual occurrence for an apartment building to collapse, so our civil engineers, specializing in structural engineering and material strength, must investigate with the utmost seriousness and a scientific approach the causes of this apartment building’s collapse. We have no official information, but from what we have heard unofficially, the government has commissioned experts to investigate the causes of this apartment building’s collapse. So we are waiting for these findings to be made public, because they are extremely important.”

He points out that many apartment buildings in Limassol were built in the 1980s during the intense construction boom following the Turkish invasion, often using similar construction methods that may conceal common problems.

When asked about the limits of the District Local Government Organization’s capabilities, Mr. Tsoulofta stated that the District Local Government Organization cannot and should not assume responsibility for inspecting hundreds of thousands of buildings, as this is practically impossible due to the enormous volume.

He points out that ETEK has been calling for years for the establishment of mandatory periodic inspections (similar to an MOT) by property owners every 5–10 years, especially for high-rise buildings and apartment complexes. It emphasizes that despite the fact that the discussion began years ago, the government is moving at an extremely slow pace. It is noted that the earthquake-resistance law was adopted as recently as 1994 and mandatory inspections were introduced in 1999.

Mr. Tsoulofta also notes that many problems stem from the inadequate operational framework for management committees in multi-unit buildings, which often leads to the abandonment and lack of maintenance of the buildings.

“The cost of time is enormous. Unfortunately, the cost of time has not been fully grasped by the broader public sector or the government apparatus. We see projects moving at a very slow pace. We see reforms moving at a very slow pace. The only reforms that are moving quickly are those imposed on us by the European Union, and we are carrying them out in a slapdash manner, as we have seen.”

He argues that it is imperative to make the findings public as soon as they are officially finalized, so that it becomes clear whether the causes of the collapse were apparent and could have been foreseen through structural testing.