Apostolos Tomaras
The Department of Public Works has firmly denied allegations of a scandal surrounding the ongoing €61.6 million national bus shelter upgrade project, following accusations raised by AKEL MP Kostas Kosta during a heated session of the Parliamentary Transport Committee.
Kosta questioned the transparency of the bidding process, highlighting a €5 million gap between the winning bid and the second-lowest offer. He also raised concerns over the shelters' design and high costs, describing the situation as a "scandal" and calling for further scrutiny.
In response, Public Works defended the process, stating that the contract was legally and transparently awarded to the consortium Air Control & AMCO A.E.B.E., which submitted the most cost-effective and compliant proposal. Eleven companies had initially shown interest, with four ultimately submitting full bids. No appeals were filed at any stage of the process.
The project, launched in January 2020, aims to modernize bus stops across Cyprus by 2028. The primary implementation phase carries a cost of €36.6 million, excluding VAT, with €5 million allocated for long-term maintenance. A further €20 million has been reserved for potential expansions by public authorities or third parties.
Kosta also challenged the project’s pace, claiming only 180 of 1,000 planned shelters have been installed to date. Public Works clarified that approximately 700 shelters are slated for installation in 2025, with priority given to high-traffic areas and key transit points. The department also defended the use of smaller-sized shelters in low-traffic areas, promising larger designs where needed.
The controversy has prompted the Auditor General’s Office to launch a formal investigation. Auditor General Andreas Papaconstantinou confirmed that relevant documents were requested from the Ministry of Transport last August, with further inquiries to follow based on the latest parliamentary disclosures.
This article has been translated and summarized from its Greek original.
