A solution has been reached regarding the Larnaca marina that ensures the legality of the process and minimizes, to the greatest extent possible, the time required to implement the decision, according to a statement by Evi Tsolaki, Minister of Transport, Communications, and Public Works. This solution requires an amendment to the relevant Regulation to enable the conclusion of a long-term lease agreement between the State and the Cyprus Ports Authority, without the need to issue a public tender, she states, noting that the President of the Republic has been informed of this development.
It also questions what purpose public statements actually serve when they overlook actions that have already been taken and present a picture that differs from reality.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
In response to public statements made following the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Transportation on October 22, 2026, the Minister states that she considers it “necessary” to provide certain clarifications, “in order to restore the true picture and avoid creating false impressions.”
“The Government’s political will to grant the development of the Larnaca marina to the Cyprus Ports Authority remains clear and unchanged,” the Minister stated, noting that this is a specific policy decision, which she reaffirmed before the Parliamentary Committee on Transport.
During the same session, she reports, both she and the Chairman of the Cyprus Ports Authority “confirmed that the planned projects are proceeding in accordance with the roadmap presented by the Authority in late June 2026.” The sole exception is the Yacht Club project, the implementation of which was suspended following a request from the Municipality of Larnaca, which, upon its recommendation, had undertaken the project’s development, the Minister notes.
Regarding the concession of the marina, she states that the Legal Service’s opinion, which she received on October 9, 2026, “demonstrated the existence of a specific legal impediment, which, under the current legislative framework, does not permit its direct transfer, lease, or concession to the Cyprus Ports Authority”.
“From the very beginning, our approach has been clear: to find the legally appropriate solution that will allow the government’s decision to be implemented as planned,” she adds.
As early as October 13, 2026, she continues, during her meeting with the Mayor of Larnaca, the Chairman and the Director General of the Cyprus Ports Authority, she had already informed them of the existence of the legal obstacle, noting that she would return with a specific solution following her scheduled meeting with the Legal Service to explore alternative options for addressing the issue.
This meeting had already been scheduled for Friday, October 23, 2026—the day after the session of the Parliamentary Committee on Transportation, the Minister noted. “Consequently, it was entirely reasonable for the representative of the Legal Service during the Committee meeting, to limit herself to the content of the existing legal opinion, since the alternative solutions had not yet been discussed with the relevant Ministry,” she states.
Ms. Tsolaki notes that, during yesterday’s “lengthy” meeting with the relevant officials of the Legal Service, “we thoroughly examined all the alternative legal options and arrived at a specific solution, which ensures the legality of the process and minimizes, to the greatest extent possible, the time required to implement the decision.”
This solution requires amending the relevant Regulation to enable the conclusion of a long-term lease agreement between the State and the Cyprus Ports Authority, without the need to issue a public tender, he states, noting that the President of the Republic has been informed of this development. It further states that the President of the Cyprus Ports Authority expressed his agreement with the proposed solution.
“In light of these facts, it raises a reasonable question as to what purpose public statements actually serve when they disregard the actions that have already been taken and present a picture that differs from reality,” the Minister stated. “I wonder to what extent such statements contribute to resolving outstanding issues and advancing the project, or whether they ultimately serve to create impressions and perpetuate an unnecessary public confrontation,” she notes.
“For us, as the government, the priority is clear: implementing decisions, advancing projects, and achieving tangible results for the benefit of citizens. Creating a spectacle is not part of our approach,” he adds.
The government is moving forward with a steady course, concrete planning, and full respect for institutional and legal procedures, he notes, concluding that the development of the port and marina of Larnaca is a key priority for the government and a vital prospect for the economy, entrepreneurship, and the city’s growth potential.
Source: CNA
