Nicosia mayor hails local government reform as deficit falls and citizen services improve

The newly created metropolitan municipality of Nicosia has reduced its deficit by 80 per cent and resolved more than three-quarters of citizen requests during the first two years since the local government reform came into force, Mayor Charalambos Prountzos said on Thursday.

Presenting a review of the municipality’s first two years in office, Prountzos said the capital had successfully navigated the transition following the merger of several municipal authorities, overcoming financial and operational challenges to create a more efficient organisation.

The presentation was attended by Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou, deputy mayors, councillors and representatives of local organisations.

According to the municipality, 659 decisions have been taken since the reform took effect, with officials describing the process as one based on collective decision-making and transparency.

Municipal director-general Myria Pilakouta said the success of the reform was largely due to municipal employees who embraced the changes and worked to ensure their implementation.

Prountzos acknowledged that the newly formed authority inherited financial obligations, ageing infrastructure and equipment shortages, but said it had managed to move beyond the initial merger phase and focus on improving residents’ daily lives and implementing major projects.

He highlighted the municipality’s financial recovery, saying the deficit had been reduced by 80 per cent through tighter control of revenues and expenditure and efforts to combat tax evasion.

Services for the public have also been consolidated, with five service centres, a unified call centre and expanded digital services introduced. Of the 22,594 requests submitted over the past two years across 84 categories, 17,457 have been completed, representing a completion rate of more than 77 per cent, while the remainder are still being processed.

The municipality reported significant activity in environmental management, including more than 22,000 new tree plantings and the maintenance of 1,052 green spaces. It said waste collection services had improved by 50 per cent, while 177 parks and 106 playgrounds are now maintained, with 15 playgrounds either newly created or upgraded.

Nicosia has also launched what it described as Cyprus’ first citizens’ energy community, known as “Lefkothea”, as part of efforts to promote sustainable development and the green transition.

Officials said improvements had also been recorded in sanitation and public health. More than 4,500 truckloads of garden waste, bulky items and rubbish were removed, while 2,199 abandoned vehicles were cleared and 122 environmental fines issued.

The municipality said it had established 21 designated cat-feeding stations and new dog parks, while carrying out 883 inspections of food premises.

It also noted that the first court order in Cyprus relating to unhealthy living conditions had been issued, with a number of nuisance properties subsequently sealed.

On digitalisation, the municipality said it had completed an automated irrigation system and was developing a comprehensive geographic information system. Smart parking and smart waste applications are already operating, while plans are under way to install 7,000 sensors under the Smart Cyprus project.

Prountzos also pointed to Nicosia’s cultural sector, citing more than 150 annual events, three municipal museums and international distinctions including Europa Nostra awards in 2025 and 2026 and the title of European Best Cultural Destination 2025. 

The municipality said 3,578 people benefited from social services in 2025 and that €522,000 had been distributed directly to charitable organisations. The 2026 budget for social programmes and institutions amounts to almost €3 million, the largest ever allocated for social policy.

The municipality also highlighted the ongoing revitalisation of the historic centre and the arrival of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and the University of Cyprus in Faneromeni, where around 1,000 students are expected to be studying by 2029.

According to a recent Cyprus Forum Cities survey cited by the municipality, 73 per cent of residents now approve of the municipality’s work, up from 66 per cent a year earlier.