Hector Georgiou
From hospitals and universities to buses, water, political parties, and even Facebook and Google, Cyprus spent hundreds of millions of taxpayer euros in 2025, and a newly released Treasury list reveals where some of the biggest payments went.
The Treasury of the Republic has published details of payments exceeding €1 million made in 2025 by government ministries and state services to individuals and legal entities. According to the report, the largest payments were in the health sector, while the list also includes parliamentary parties, universities, road projects, desalination and grants to local authorities.
More specifically, the largest payment in 2025 went to the Health Insurance Organisation (HIO), which received €897.2 million. The amount relates to the state's contribution to the General Healthcare System (Gesy) through government funding and its contributions as an employer.
Another €30 million was given to the State Health Services Organisation (Okypy) for projects under the Recovery and Resilience Plan that are being implemented by non-government services.
The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics also received €16.7 million, covering specialized tests carried out by the institute as well as its designated government grant.
In addition, around €100 million was spent on medicines, vaccines and treatment for Cypriot patients abroad, bringing total spending in the health sector to nearly €1 billion.
Parliamentary parties also received significant state funding based on their electoral shares, with DISY receiving the largest amount.
Research and education
Grants to universities, research and innovation institutions are also among the largest payments on the Treasury's list.
According to the figures, the University of Cyprus received €152.7 million in government funding in 2025, while the Cyprus University of Technology (TEPAK) received €69.7 million.
The Open University and the Cyprus Institute received smaller amounts, at €11 million each.
Education-related payments also included €110 million to 20 school boards for projects, while significant sums were spent on installing air conditioning in schools.
The Research and Innovation Foundation (RIF) received €40.8 million.
€285 million for municipalities
Local authorities also received substantial amounts. State support to municipalities receiving grants of more than €1 million totalled €285 million in 2025.
Nicosia Municipality received €62 million, Larnaca Municipality €35.8 million, Limassol Municipality €29.6 million, Paphos Municipality €12.2 million and Famagusta Municipality €1.3 million.
The funding includes government grants, co-financed projects and, in some cases, loans. Payments were also made to District Local Government Organisations.
Transport and major projects
The state also made significant payments in the transport sector, particularly to bus companies.
Nicosia Public Transport received €38.2 million, Limassol Passenger Transport Company (EMEL) Ltd €17.8 million, LPT Larnaca Public Transport Services and Operations Ltd €14.4 million, ME Famagusta Buses Ltd €14.1 million and Paphos Transport Organisation (OSYPA) Ltd €6.9 million.
The Treasury's list also includes major infrastructure projects.
The Limnes reception center for asylum seekers, which also includes a pre-departure facility, costs €25 million.
A further €13.3 million was paid to the contractor building the new Cyprus Museum, while around €25 million was spent on road construction projects across Cyprus.
In an effort to deal with the prolonged drought of 2025, the government also spent tens of millions of euros on water.
Around €70 million was paid for the purchase of water and the construction and maintenance of desalination plants operated by six companies: Caramondani Desalination Plants Ltd, M.N. Limassol Water Co. Ltd, M.N. Larnaca Desalination Co. Ltd, Sychem A.E., Camondani Bros Public Co Limited, and Semesco Co Ltd.
Grants to political parties
Parliamentary parties also received substantial state funding based on their electoral shares, as provided for by law.
DISY received the largest amount, at €3.2 million, followed by AKEL with €2.9 million and DIKO with €1.6 million.
The remaining parliamentary parties, which do not appear on the Treasury's list, each received less than €1 million.
The funding includes the parties' general state grant as well as the employment costs of parliamentary assistants.
€8.5 million for advertising
Another notable figure in the Treasury's payment list concerns information and promotional campaigns linked to tourism and other government activities.
The state paid €1.2 million to TUI UK Ltd and €1.3 million to Jet2holidays Ltd.
Meta Platforms Ireland Ltd, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, received €1.3 million, while €4.6 million was spent with Google.
According to the Treasury report, the figures cover payments made through the FIMAS accounting system, which is used by all government ministries, deputy ministries, departments, services, and special state funds.
It also clarifies that the published amounts represent total payments before any amounts owed were offset against them.
Defense-related expenditure is excluded from the list.
