Bids submitted for Paphos–Polis road project to be evaluated ‘diligently’

New bids submitted for the Paphos–Polis road project are coming in above initial cost estimates, the transport ministry and the public works department said on Friday, stressing that the evaluation process will be carried out “with full diligence”.

In a joint statement, the authorities said the assessment of the revised tenders, submitted on April 17, 2026, would take into account current market conditions.

They noted that “the fact that the offers are at higher levels than the original estimate is being thoroughly evaluated, so that every decision serves the public interest,” adding that a clearer picture is expected in the coming weeks.

The government will examine all legal options, including re-tendering, direct award or negotiation, “if deemed institutionally permissible”, the statement added.

The announcement also set out figures relating to the overall cost of the Ayia Marinouda-Stroumbi section of the project, in response to recent media reports.

According to the ministry, when the contract was signed in 2021, the cost stood at €72.97 million (plus VAT).

During implementation, the contractor submitted claims amounting to €36 million and requested a 59-month extension – requests that were deemed unjustified by all competent committees.

It added that accepting the extension would have led to an additional €10 million in administrative costs.

In total, the project cost would have risen to approximately €119 million, with completion not expected before 2029, while further claims could not be ruled out.

The ministry also rejected claims circulating in public debate suggesting the project could be completed for under €100 million, stating that such assertions “do not reflect the contractual data, which is publicly available”.

Two new bids for the completion of the road have been submitted so far, with one having been submitted by Cyfield, worth just shy of €125m.

The other bid was jointly submitted by the Cypriot subsidiary of Lebanese firm Araco and Bulgarian construction company Geostroy and is worth almost €129m.