Philenews

New Prisons: Mathiati Community Council to Meet Urgently – 'We Were Announced Before Being Informed,' Says the Community Leader

Published March 24, 2026, 14:20
New Prisons: Mathiati Community Council to Meet Urgently – 'We Were Announced Before Being Informed,' Says the Community Leader

The Mathiati Community Council will meet urgently tonight to discuss the government's decision to build the new Central Prisons in the area. Community leader Theodoros Kyriakos Tsatsos expressed his dissatisfaction with the way the project was announced, as the community had not been informed beforehand. Mr. Tsatsos stated that the community is open to developments, but wants to be informed first about the plans and for the necessary environmental studies to be conducted. He stressed that the area is already burdened by the National Guard camps and that a large part of the land is Turkish Cypriot, resulting in restrictions on development. The community leader mentioned that the community has lost many young people in recent years and that the area where the prisons are planned was previously proposed for the construction of a national sports center. At tonight's meeting, Mr. Tsatsos will propose that the community be informed first about the plans and a decision be made based on the results of the studies. The project of the new prisons is expected to start in 2027 and be completed in five years, at a cost of €300 million. It will be implemented by a foreign investor in partnership with the public sector.