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Interior Committee Requests Legislation on Property Sales to Foreigners

Published February 26, 2026, 14:08
Interior Committee Requests Legislation on Property Sales to Foreigners

The Parliamentary Committee on Interior Affairs has requested the passage of legislation to regulate the sale of properties to foreigners before the dissolution of Parliament. This initiative comes from AKEL, which has prepared a comprehensive bill on the matter. The Committee President, Aristos Damianou, pointed out that a large part of Cyprus has been sold to foreign hands, which is considered dangerous, while property prices have soared due to increased demand from foreigners. Mr. Damianou expressed satisfaction with the acceptance of AKEL's proposals by various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Interior, creating the possibility of consensus. At the same time, the unification of texts with proposals from other parties is underway, aiming to submit a unified bill. This process includes meetings with the Ministry of Interior to ensure the government's acceptance of the final text. The aim of the legislation is to put a stop to the uncontrolled sale of properties to foreigners, by limiting the area of properties they can buy, prohibiting purchases in agricultural and rural areas, as well as near camps, beaches and ports. The legislation will allow the purchase of properties for residential use and shops. Mr. Damianou mentioned that the initial legislation set criteria for the purchase of properties by foreigners, but these criteria have been relaxed by decisions of the Council of Ministers, leading to uncontrolled purchases. The new legislation aims to restore the initial criteria and protect Cypriot land.