A technical team from the Nicosia District Self-Government Organisation (EOA) is conducting systematic safety inspections across the walled city, with approximately 200 structures in the Omeriye district under examination today. The operation is part of a broader effort to manage a growing catalogue of dangerous buildings in Nicosia's old town, which now stands at 1,466 identified properties, according to In-Cyprus.

Inspection Scope and Current Findings

The EOA took over responsibility for managing dangerous buildings in April 2025, inheriting 1,198 cases from Nicosia's municipal councils and the District Administration. In the year since, that figure has grown by 268 additional structures, bringing the total to 1,466. Inspectors are now working through the Omeriye area, one of the old city's most historically dense neighbourhoods, as part of the ongoing cataloguing effort.

Of the buildings identified so far, the vast majority require maintenance or repairs but do not pose an immediate risk to occupants. However, four buildings have been classified as requiring evacuation without delay.

Ownership and Enforcement Challenges

EOA President Constantinos Yiorkadjis has highlighted the central challenge driving the surge in cases. The rising number of dangerous buildings reflects a lack of maintenance by owners, who bear primary legal responsibility for their properties. Yiorkadjis stated that his foremost concern is accelerating the enforcement process, saying his "main priority is finding ways to enforce legislation more quickly, depending on the severity of the problems identified in each building."

He also raised concerns about access to national funding earmarked for addressing the problem. The Ministry announced a €2 million fund for dangerous buildings across Cyprus, and last year the Nicosia EOA drew €150,000 from it. However, Yiorkadjis noted that "while the Ministry announced the €2 million fund, the process for receiving the money required to support these dangerous buildings has not yet been explained," leaving the EOA without a clear pathway to access further financial support.

What Comes Next

Today's Omeriye inspections represent one phase of a continuing municipal effort to systematically assess and classify all flagged structures within the walled city. As the EOA works through its caseload, authorities are pressing for faster legislative enforcement and greater clarity from the Ministry on how remaining funds from the national programme can be accessed and deployed.