The Ministry of Interior has reaffirmed its policy decision to transfer the administrative management and supervision of jointly owned buildings from the Department of Lands and Surveys to the newly established Provincial Local Government Organizations (EOAs). Addressing pushback from the EOAs regarding operational readiness and funding, the Ministry proposed a transitional period of up to two years to complete the rollout while rejecting calls for direct state operational subsidies.
Core Points of Dispute & Ministry Responses
| Area of Concern | EOA Position & Concerns | Ministry of Interior’s Official Response |
| Consultation & Dialogue | Claimed insufficient opportunity or participation in shaping the draft legislation. | Rejects this view, citing continuous discussions from 2024 to 2026, including joint parliamentary meetings and cost impact studies shared between both sides. |
| Staffing & Resources | Expressed concern over the personnel required to manage supervision and committee oversight. | Proposed a phased staffing model tied to the preparation and approval of the 2027 and 2028-2029 budget cycles to gradually fill essential roles. |
| Initial Operating Costs | Requested direct state financial coverage for the initial operational costs of the new service. | Declined direct state funding, pointing out that EOAs are autonomous entities. Initial costs can be covered via current licensing revenue, while long term costs will be funded through a revised fee schedule. |
| IT & Infrastructure | Highlighted the need for specialized digital tools and building registries. | Agreed to 100% state funding for designing and developing a fully integrated electronic registry connecting Land Registry data, EOA licensing files, and the IPPODAMOS system. |
| Policy Direction | Questioned whether the responsibility should remain with the Land Registry. | Stated there is no room to revise the core policy, as building management falls outside the primary operational scope of the Land Registry. |
Key Implementation Milestones During the 2 Year Transition
The Ministry emphasized that all practical adjustments must be completed within a maximum two-year transitional window to ensure seamless execution:
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Software Development & Integration: Developing the fully state funded computerized registry and connecting it to the IPPODAMOS system before EOAs fully assume their duties.
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Administrative Setup: Establishing internal registries, defining standardized operational procedures, and framing necessary administrative guidelines.
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Workforce Development: Gradually recruiting, onboarding, and training specialized personnel through phased annual budget approvals.
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Legislative Enactment: Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou called on all parties to align priorities to pass the enabling legislation while the transition period is in effect.
Source: Stockwatch.com.cy