The government is pushing for a change in legislation regarding the control and demolition of illegal structures, as well as the tightening of penalties and oversight, as stated in interviews with Brief by the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of Agriculture.

The common goal between the Minister of the Interior and the Minister of Agriculture is to address the serious problem arising from the time-consuming procedures currently in place, which cause delays in handling illegal developments. These delays have a significant impact on both the safety of citizens and the environment, as well as on the prevention of unlawful activities.

In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture is moving forward with stricter monitoring of protected areas and appointing an Environmental Inspector for each project, with deterrent out-of-court penalties, while the Ministry of the Interior wants the legislation to allow for quicker actions to rectify violations.

Specifically, the problem is identified in two main factors.

First, the lack of proper oversight, especially from local authorities, who are often responsible for the licensing of these illegal structures. Second, existing legislation does not provide the necessary tools for immediate action and demolitions.

It should be noted that the responsible authorities for the processes of inspection, removal, and demolition of illegal buildings are the local authorities and the District Autonomous Organizations, which is why the Minister of the Interior, through his statements, once again calls on them to enforce the law and not become complicit in illegal activities.

Typical examples based on the above include the Monastery in Cape Greco, which has a demolition order but the case is pending in court, and the structures in Akamas, for which legal proceedings are also pending, delaying the demolition process.

In an interview with Brief, the Minister of the Interior, Konstantinos Ioannou, stated that since taking office, the government has adopted a new approach to illegal interventions in infrastructures, which primarily endanger the safety of citizens, especially in areas of immeasurable and unique environmental value. These illegal interventions impact the environment, flora, fauna, and the country’s natural resources, while also justifiably challenging the citizens' sense of justice.

For this reason, Mr. Ioannou added, in cases that have come to their attention through citizen complaints, media reports, and other organized bodies, they have acted swiftly to investigate the facts. "With determination, we made decisions aimed at ending these irregularities and sending the message that in a governed country, there are regulations and laws that must be followed by all, without exceptions, and any irregularities will not be tolerated," he said. He emphasized that their main concern is to safeguard the public interest, citizens' safety, and the protection of areas of particular significance for the country.

However, as the Minister of the Interior points out, "current legislation does not offer the flexibility and tools to the Ministry and the government to intervene immediately and put an end to illegal activities. Therefore, I have instructed the relevant departments to review the laws and present proposals for legislative amendments that would allow us to take immediate action where needed, ensuring that our decisions are practically and immediately enforceable." The evaluation of the legal provisions is still in the initial stage and will take time to prepare a comprehensive proposal.

The Minister also mentioned the actions of the District Autonomous Organizations, as they are now the responsible authorities for urban planning and building permits. "I hope that with the proper and permanent staffing of the District Organizations and the establishment and operation of their monitoring and oversight sector, we will be able to address these irregular building and construction incidents to a large extent."

Finally, Mr. Ioannou noted that his intention is to create a similar monitoring department within the Department of Town Planning and Housing by the first half of 2025 for developments still under the Director of the Department. This department, as explained by the Minister of the Interior, will be staffed with personnel returning from assignments in the District Autonomous Organizations and will assist and strengthen their work, particularly in the area concerning permits issued by the Department of Town Planning and Housing.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment is promoting changes to both tighten penalties and enhance oversight.

Speaking to Brief, Minister of Agriculture and Environment Maria Panayiotou explained that the staffing of Environmental Inspection, as outlined in the Governance Program, is underway.

As the Minister noted, this staffing, which is expected to be completed in the coming weeks, will strengthen the Department of Environment with 15 new personnel. Their presence will contribute significantly to addressing illegal activities aimed at protecting the environment.

Minister Panayiotou also mentioned that, following her instructions, stricter monitoring of protected areas is being implemented. Specifically, the process of amending existing legislation (the consultation process has been completed) is moving forward, so that any projects affecting or located in Natura 2000 areas will be subject to mandatory environmental inspection. Under this process, the Environmental Authority will require the project owner – whether a private company or government body – to contribute a corresponding financial amount to the Environmental Authority to cover the costs of hiring a specialized environmental inspector for the construction or operation of the project.

The Minister explained that this process will allow the Department of Environment to monitor the construction or operation of these projects on a daily basis concerning their environmental parameters and respond immediately if any non-compliance is detected.

At the same time, the modifications that have been promoted for legal review include provisions to allow for a deterrent out-of-court settlement procedure in cases of violation of the Environmental Authority’s terms, ensuring that the possibility of violations is deterred.

"By doing this, the inspectors of the Department of Environment will have a powerful tool to enforce the terms, and in cases of serious environmental damage, the inspectors will be able to halt activities causing environmental harm," concluded Minister Panayiotou.

Agriculture and Environment Minister Maria Panayiotou confirmed plans to bolster the Environmental Department’s workforce with 15 additional inspectors, strengthening efforts to combat illegal activities affecting the environment.

New legislation will require projects impacting Natura 2000 areas to undergo mandatory audits by Environmental Auditors, with developers funding the audit process. These measures aim to enable daily monitoring of such projects to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.

Additionally, the Ministry is advancing provisions for out-of-court settlements for violations, giving inspectors more authority to enforce compliance and halt environmentally harmful activities when necessary.

These reforms signify a determined effort to protect public safety, environmental integrity, and the natural wealth of the country.