Politis

Law Proposal by AKEL to Restrict Land Purchases by Foreigners to be Presented to Parliament

Published March 19, 2026, 12:19
Law Proposal by AKEL to Restrict Land Purchases by Foreigners to be Presented to Parliament

A law proposal by AKEL to restrict land purchases by foreigners will be presented to the Plenary of the Parliament on April 2nd. The proposal concerns the abolition of provisions allowing indirect acquisition of property by foreigners without permission and the introduction of control mechanisms. According to the President of the Parliamentary Committee on Interior, Aristos Damianou, there is a “plunder” in the market and sale of Cypriot land by foreigners. The law proposal imposes prohibitions on the purchase of forest and agricultural land by foreigners, as well as on the acquisition of properties adjacent to the ceasefire line or critical infrastructure. It also introduces a list of prerequisites for the acquisition of land or property by foreigners, setting objective criteria. Mr. Damianou stated that a large percentage of Cypriot land is not in the hands of Cypriots, while according to data from recent years, one in two sales concerns purchases by citizens of third countries. The law proposal is expected to be passed by a large majority on April 2nd, as there is also consensus from the executive branch.