Cyprus Times

Union of Municipalities Completes Consultations on Reform in Limassol

Published January 28, 2026, 21:02
Union of Municipalities Completes Consultations on Reform in Limassol

The Union of Municipalities of Cyprus has completed a cycle of consultations in Limassol regarding the Local Government Reform. The main goal of the reform is the decentralization of power and the provision of administrative and financial autonomy to the Municipalities. The President of the Union of Municipalities, Andreas Vyras, emphasized the importance of listening to the views of local stakeholders and conveying them to the relevant Ministries and the Parliament. A critical issue raised during the consultations was the state grant to the Municipalities. The Union of Municipalities insists that the grant should be calculated as a percentage of the state budget and not remain fixed, as its purchasing power has decreased due to inflation. According to Mr. Vyras, the percentage of the grant is currently very low compared to other countries, such as Greece and France. In addition, waste management and the implementation of the “Pay-as-you-throw” system were discussed. The Municipalities state that they will not proceed with the implementation of the system unless significant problems and pending issues are resolved. The “Evagoras” project, concerning the digital transition of the Municipalities, which is in the delivery phase, was also mentioned. Finally, concern was expressed about the delay in the integration of School Boards into the Municipalities, a process foreseen by the reform for 2029. The Mayor of Limassol, Yiannis Armeutis, stated that the Municipalities are in a transitional period and that the experience gained will help address problems and find solutions.