Newsroom
The long-discussed Paphos–Polis road project is facing fresh uncertainty after new bids came in higher than originally estimated, prompting officials to take a closer look before making any final decisions.
The Transport Ministry says it is now carefully reviewing the offers submitted on April 17, stressing that the process will reflect current market conditions and aim to protect the public purse. In simple terms: prices have gone up, and the government wants to make sure it’s not overpaying.
Officials are keeping their options open. Depending on how the numbers stack up, the government could move forward with awarding the contract, reopen the tender process, or even negotiate if the law allows it. A clearer picture is expected in the coming weeks.
At the same time, the ministry is pushing back against criticism, saying it refused to give in to what it calls “unjustified demands” from the previous contractor. When the contract was first signed in 2021, the project cost stood at just under €73 million, excluding VAT. But along the way, the contractor filed claims worth €36 million and asked for a nearly five-year extension, requests that officials say were rejected across the board.
Had those demands been accepted, the price tag could have ballooned to around €119 million, with completion pushed back to at least 2029 and possibly beyond if more claims followed.
The ministry is also addressing public debate suggesting the project could be completed for under €100 million, saying those figures don’t match the official contract data.
For now, the project remains in limbo, with authorities trying to strike a balance between moving forward and making sure taxpayers aren’t left footing an inflated bill.
