Transport Minister Evi Tsolaki and the Ministry of Transport have firmly rejected any changes to traffic management on Nicosia's Makariou Avenue that would trigger a repayment of European Union funding. Speaking before the House Transport Committee, Evi Anayiotou, Head of the Ministry's Sustainable Mobility Division, made it clear that while the ministry awaits a formal study from the Municipality of Nicosia on proposed modifications, any initiative risking financial penalties will not be accepted. The €21.6 million redevelopment project was co-funded by the EU, which contributed approximately €18 million under strict sustainable urban mobility criteria.
Nicosia Mayor Charalambos Prountzos presented the municipality's perspective, noting that a newly completed study aims to address commercial decline along Makariou Avenue without fundamentally breaching EU funding terms. Prountzos stressed that the southern section of the avenue is operating effectively as a one-way corridor to speed up entry into the capital, meaning no changes are needed there. For the northern section, proposed adjustments focus on protecting four core EU criteria: cycle path length, urban open spaces, calculated annual emissions reductions, and dedicated bus lane length. Ministry of Finance Senior Development Officer Evstathios Konstantinides warned that while the project closed successfully, any operational overhaul affecting its fundamental purpose could trigger a reassessment by the European Commission and a potential demand to return funding.
Local business representatives, merchant associations, and several MPs voiced strong frustration over what they described as commercial stagnation along the historic shopping street. Deputy Mayor Chrysanthos Fakas and POBEK Secretary General Stefanos Koursaris argued that four years after the restrictions were introduced, commercial activity has severely weakened, making it imperative to reopen Makariou Avenue to private traffic rather than isolating it. DISY MP Andreas Konstantinou raised concerns over traffic redirection, pointing out that around 13,000 vehicles previously using Makariou have been pushed onto surrounding thoroughfares such as Stasinou, Evagorou, Diagorou, Omirou, and Kallipoleos. Other lawmakers, including DIKO MP Adamos Aspris and ALMA MP Irene Charalambidou, cautioned against hasty decisions that could burden taxpayers if EU grants must be refunded.
The wider transport debate highlights Cyprus's deep reliance on private vehicles, with national car numbers growing by approximately 8% annually. Transport Ministry officials stressed that simply building more roads or dismantling sustainable mobility frameworks fails to solve long-term congestion. Kyriakos Tsimillis of the Federation of Environmental Organisations noted that reversing traffic interventions prematurely undermines Nicosia's broader Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan. Mayor Prountzos is scheduled to present the municipality's proposed roadmap during a formal meeting with the Transport Minister, hoping to strike a delicate balance between urban accessibility and fiscal responsibility.