Cyprus’ House of Representatives has voted to extend the deadline for displaced persons to apply for interest subsidies on housing loans from 12 months to 24 months. The scheme, run by the Central Agency for the Equal Distribution of Burdens (CAEDB), helps refugees—mainly Greek Cypriots uprooted in 1974—finance new homes or renovations.
The compromise amendment, tabled by the Democratic Party (DIKO) after a heated debate, passed 25-13 with two abstentions and was included in the final bill approved unanimously on 12 December. Left-wing AKEL had sought to abolish deadlines entirely, arguing that red tape had already caused many applicants to miss out, but opponents said an open-ended scheme risked ballooning costs and administrative chaos.
![Cypriot MPs double application window for refugee housing-loan subsidies]()
For affected families, the change provides an extra year to assemble paperwork and secure bank approvals—no small matter given current mortgage-rate volatility. Immigration advisers note that naturalised refugees and their EU-citizen relatives often rely on the subsidy when relocating back to Cyprus for work assignments; the longer window should reduce last-minute scrambles that delay project start dates.
Banks are now updating internal guidance, while refugee associations press for additional staffing at CAEDB to avoid processing backlogs. The Interior Ministry must issue implementing regulations within one month, after which updated application forms will be released online.
The compromise amendment, tabled by the Democratic Party (DIKO) after a heated debate, passed 25-13 with two abstentions and was included in the final bill approved unanimously on 12 December. Left-wing AKEL had sought to abolish deadlines entirely, arguing that red tape had already caused many applicants to miss out, but opponents said an open-ended scheme risked ballooning costs and administrative chaos.
For affected families, the change provides an extra year to assemble paperwork and secure bank approvals—no small matter given current mortgage-rate volatility. Immigration advisers note that naturalised refugees and their EU-citizen relatives often rely on the subsidy when relocating back to Cyprus for work assignments; the longer window should reduce last-minute scrambles that delay project start dates.
Banks are now updating internal guidance, while refugee associations press for additional staffing at CAEDB to avoid processing backlogs. The Interior Ministry must issue implementing regulations within one month, after which updated application forms will be released online.
Source: SigmaLive English
