Paphos-Polis road demands ‘would lead to economic collapse’

THE CONTRACT changes sought by the consortium of companies chosen to build the Paphos-Polis highway would mean a sudden €300 million expense for the state, which would lead to economic collapse, the Communications Minister said yesterday.

Erato Kozakou-Marcoullis informed the House Communications Committee, in a closed session, on the details of the ongoing highway saga.

Speaking afterwards, she avoided giving away too much about the changes the consortium was requesting; but she made it clear that any changes in the financial aspect would not be accepted.

The government is being asked to guarantee any loans the consortium takes on to build the controversial road.

“This would mean that as of today, or as of the day we agree, the €300 million cost of the construction will be accounted for within the Republic of Cyprus’ public debt, which you understand would lead to the state’s economic collapse,” said Marcoullis.

As the contract terms currently stand, she added, the state would only start paying yearly instalments of around €30 million once the whole construction is complete.

The matter is now in the hands of the Attorney-general, who is expected to announce his legal advice on the matter any day now.

MPs called on the government to clarify the issue as soon as possible and either start construction straight away, or end the contract and start a new procedure.

EDEK and Paphos MP Fidias Sarikas went a step further and warned the minister that if she doesn’t meet with al interested parties in the presence of the consortium by Saturday, Paphos residents would take dynamic action, which will start from Paphos and expand across the island.

Sarikas said he was disappointed to see the minister had nothing substantial to announce.

“Final decisions are demanded,” he added. “If by Saturday we are not invited to the minister’s office, I will personally organise the people of Paphos into a Paphos-wide and then island-wide demonstration, to send our message of great disappointment over the government’s stance towards this vastly important construction.”

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.