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Interior Minister Konstantinos Ioannou said the government is considering proposals to reduce the number of Deputy Mayors across Cyprus, calling the current figure of 93 “excessive.”
Speaking on SPOR FM 95.00’s “Diaspora Eidiseon” program, Ioannou said the Ministry of the Interior is evaluating several reform scenarios as part of broader efforts to streamline local governance. Any potential reduction in Deputy Mayors would consider each municipality’s population size and remain within constitutional limits, which prohibit assigning executive powers to the role.
While some municipalities have already allocated specific duties to their Deputy Mayors, these are informal arrangements based on the working relationship with the Mayor and not legally required, Ioannou noted.
The minister also addressed concerns about recent municipal mergers, acknowledging that some were not backed by proper techno-economic analysis. He highlighted Strovolos and Paphos as examples, and said the financial viability of certain municipalities, such as Lefkara, will be assessed individually.
Turning to housing, Ioannou described it as one of the ministry’s top challenges. He said that while urban planning incentives have generated interest, results will take time. The Cyprus Land Development Corporation (KOAG) has delivered 40 housing units in the past three years, and revenues from a recent urban planning amnesty will be allocated directly to KOAG to support affordable housing initiatives.
Listen to the complete SPOR FM 95.00 interview (in Greek) with Konstantinos Ioannou here:
