The President of the Nicosia Chamber of Architects, Konstantinos Giorkatzis. Speaking on the Alpha News program, he also raised questions about waste management and the funds disbursed in previous years, at a time when Cyprus is facing a referral to the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Referring to pending permit applications, Mr. Giorkatzis argued that the situation in Nicosia has clearly improved, as more permits are now being issued than new applications are being received. “We are issuing more permits than the number of applications we receive. This has never happened before in the history of the Nicosia District,” he said, noting that the EOA had received more than 12,000 pending applications.
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He estimated that by the end of the year, the backlog of pending applications will have been significantly reduced. He noted, however, that part of the delay is also due to incomplete or incorrect applications, which are not properly filled out or pertain to uses not permitted in the specific zoning district.
Regarding transparency and the order in which applications are reviewed, he clarified that there are specific categories that are given priority, such as applications for expedited permits and projects linked to financing instruments—a fact, he said, that has been publicly announced. At the same time, he noted that the urban planning reform has not yet been completed, pointing to weaknesses in the “Ippodamos” system and delays from other government agencies.
“We cannot allow all other government agencies to do whatever they want, respond whenever they want, and operate outside the system,” he said, calling for the full integration of procedures into the electronic platform and a shortening of consultation periods.
He was particularly critical of the issue of solid waste management. He recalled that, during his tenure as Mayor of Nicosia, the Municipality paid approximately €350,000 annually for waste disposal at Kotsiatis, whereas after the waste was transferred to Kosia, the cost rose to approximately €1.3 million, on the grounds that waste would be sorted and landfilling would be drastically reduced. As he noted, however, more than ten years later, a very large percentage of solid waste continues to be landfilled. “Where did the money go that you asked us to pay? Who is responsible for the fact that the goal we agreed upon has not been achieved?” he asked.
The President of the Nicosia Environmental Organization linked the issue to the debate over additional green taxes, arguing that the government must first prove that it can deliver on what it has already promised. He also added that while the “Pay-As-You-Fly” program is a step in the right direction, it requires significant government investment in vehicles, infrastructure, and the waste collection process as a whole.
Mr. Giorkatzis expressed, however, a willingness to cooperate with the new leadership of the relevant ministry, noting that the Local Waste Management Authorities (EOA) are seeking a greater role and more responsibilities in waste management. He specifically noted that for the past two years, the Nicosia Environmental Organization has requested to take over the management of Kotsiatis and to explore ways to utilize the biogas produced there, but no progress has been made to date. At the same time, he mentioned delays in the creation of new recycling collection points and argued that “many of the responsibilities of this particular ministry could be transferred to regional agencies, provided they are accompanied by the necessary resources.”
