Tender for Paphos–Polis road project cancelled due to high costs

The Ministry of Transport in Cyprus has officially cancelled the latest tender process for the construction of the Paphos–Polis Chrysochous road. Minister Evi Tsolaki confirmed that the Tenders Board unanimously rejected the two submitted bids, noting that one was disqualified for missing documentation, while the other exceeded the ministry's budget estimates by approximately 40 percent.

This infrastructure project, which has faced significant delays since the original contract with INTRAKAT was terminated in November 2024, is now subject to further scrutiny. Former Minister Yiannis Karousos and politician Averof Neofytou have criticized the government's management, highlighting that the estimated project costs have ballooned from the initial 73 million euros to 141 million euros. Furthermore, concerns were raised regarding 16 million euros in uncollected bank guarantees.

Minister Tsolaki stated that the government remains committed to the project, which dates back to the 1970s, and is currently evaluating alternative implementation methods, including the potential construction of a four-lane road. Meanwhile, parliamentary members, including Chrysanthos Savvidis, have requested further investigation into the decision-making processes and the potential waste of public funds as the project remains stalled.