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The contractor behind the New Cyprus Museum project has requested a 500-day extension and submitted major financial claims, prompting an investigation by the Audit Office, lawmakers said Thursday.
Members of the House Committee on Transport revealed the probe after reviewing the project’s timeline and procedures, following a proposal by MPs Marinos Mousiouttas (DIPA), Dimitris Dimitriou (DISY), and Christos Orphanides (DIKO).
DISY MP Dimitriou criticized the uncertainty surrounding the project’s completion date, calling the situation “unacceptable.” The contractor attributed the delay to poor weather, a strike in the concrete sector, and communication issues with project designers.
AKEL MP Valentinos Fakontis said the €120 million project has so far spent €30 million, with 34 of the 42 contractual months already elapsed. He confirmed the Department of Public Works received the contractor’s 500-day extension request and noted that the Audit Office will soon submit its findings to Parliament.
Fakontis warned that poor planning and cost overruns could again burden taxpayers. DIKO MP Chrysantos Savvides added that at the current pace, “we’ll have a museum by 2029 or 2030,” calling the delay “unprecedented.”
The investigation aims to clarify the project’s financial management, revised completion schedule, and accountability for mounting delays.
