Paphos-Polis Highway: Sharp Criticism from Political Parties Over Project Management
Termination of highway contract raises concerns over public project handling and accountability.
The recent termination of the Paphos-Polis Chrysochous highway project contract has sparked intense debate among Cyprus's political parties, who have voiced concerns over the handling of public infrastructure projects and called for accountability and reform.
DISY MP Charalambos Pazaros expressed deep disappointment over the contract cancellation, describing the highway as a decades-long vision and development priority for Paphos. Emphasizing the project's importance for local development, quality of life, and road safety, Pazaros called on the government and involved parties to "take responsibility." Despite assurances against further delays, he urged a rapid re-tendering process to minimize disruptions.
AKEL voiced significant concerns, stating that the contract termination highlighted persistent flaws in Cyprus's public contracting system. AKEL’s statement criticized the previous government, led by DISY, for negotiating a "poor contract" and condemned the current administration for failing to address repeated issues. With the highway project now the third major contract to collapse, AKEL urged the government to reform its tender processes and enforce contractor accountability. The party also demanded a clear timeline for the project's reactivation.
DIKO President Nikolas Papadopoulos also criticized the failure, attributing it to poor planning and “pre-election publicity” rather than strategic project management. Papadopoulos emphasized the need for those responsible to be held accountable, stressing that the current administration must prioritize project completion within its term. Despite expressing disappointment, he acknowledged the swift actions by the present government to expedite re-tendering and reasserted DIKO's commitment to the project for Paphos residents.
Volt Cyprus echoed calls for accountability, transparency, and significant reforms to protect public contracts. The party cited multiple recent infrastructure failures, including the Vasilikos terminal and Larnaca marina projects, as examples of the need for stronger oversight. Volt’s statement criticized former President Anastasiades for presenting these projects as achievements, only to see them collapse. The party called on current President Christodoulides to address the fallout of past policies and prevent taxpayer burden from repeated project failures.