Cancellation of Paphos-Polis road project tender sparks political criticism

On October 19, 2026, the Cypriot government officially canceled the tender process for the Paphos-Polis road project. The decision follows months of stagnation and concerns regarding infrastructure development, as the submitted bids were found to significantly exceed the project's original budget.

Former Minister of Transport and DISY Vice President Yiannis Karousos has strongly condemned the move, describing it as a major failure of the current administration. Karousos criticized the government for failing to heed earlier warnings from stakeholders regarding budgetary constraints. According to his statement, it took the authorities six months to conclude that the bids were unaffordable, despite having prior knowledge of the financial discrepancies. He argued that contracts for such critical projects should not be terminated without a clear plan for future progress.

The government is now facing mounting pressure to provide a concrete timeline for restarting the project. Critics and political figures are demanding accountability for the delays and a strategy to address the ongoing transport connectivity issues in the region.