Ahead of a 13 October meeting with Transport Minister Evi Tsolaki, Larnaca mayor Andreas Vyras has published a memorandum listing three ‘stalled’ infrastructure projects that he says are hampering the city’s attractiveness to investors and expatriates. Top of the agenda is the €1.2 billion port-and-marina public-private partnership, whose construction timetable has slipped by almost two years. The mayor will also push for immediate tenders on the long-delayed Alexandros Panagoulis Avenue, a link road designed to divert heavy traffic away from the Dhekelia coastal strip popular with foreign residents. Finally, he wants clarity on redevelopment plans for the disused Larnaca Old Airport, which local businesses hope to turn into a mixed-use logistics and conference zone. For global-mobility managers the stakes are high: the port-marina project includes a dedicated cruise-crew processing centre and a Schengen-ready passenger terminal. Any further delay could constrain berth availability for corporate incentive cruises in 2029-30. Likewise, improved road access would cut transfer times between the new marina district, the free-zone industrial park and Larnaca International Airport. Shipping firms based in Cyprus have welcomed the mayor’s initiative but stress that legal hurdles—particularly around environmental impact permits—must be cleared swiftly to retain investor confidence. The minister has not commented publicly, but insiders say the government is drafting a revised milestone schedule that will be unveiled after the meeting.
Source: Politis
