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A bill titled “The Swimming Pools Law of 2024” and regulations titled “The Swimming Pools Regulations of 2024” have been prepared to modernize the current legislation governing swimming pools in Cyprus. The bill and regulations have undergone legal scrutiny by the Republic’s Legal Service and The Council of Ministers approved the draft bill and regulations on April 24, 2024. The implementation date of the law will take into effect six months after approval. Background and Need for Amendment The existing Swimming Pools Law (1992-1996) and related regulations primarily focus on the licensing and operation requirements of public swimming pools intended for general public use. However, following extensive consultations and parliamentary discussions, it has become evident that the current legislation requires modernization. Issues with the Existing Law The law does not clearly differentiate between public and private swimming pools, which leads to over-regulation of pools serving multiple residential units. Any swimming pool serving two or more residences is classified as public, necessitating compliance with stringent licensing, safety, and hygiene regulations. This classification has made it difficult or unfeasible for small and large private developments to obtain the required licenses. The issue has worsened with the significant residential growth in recent years. Proposed Amendments To address these issues, the new bill aims to replace the 1992 Swimming Pools Law and the 1996 Regulations with the following: • “The Swimming Pools Law of 2024” • “The Swimming Pools Regulations of 2024” Under the proposed legislation, clear distinctions are made between public and private swimming pools, classified into Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3. Classification of Swimming Pools Type 1 Pools – Main water activity facilities (e.g., public recreational pools, sports pools, water parks). Type 2 Pools – Pools serving as additional amenities to businesses (e.g., hotel pools, club pools, spa pools). Type 3 Pools – All other pools, including self-catering accommodations, excluding: Type 1 & Type 2 Pools Private residential pools serving up to five housing units. Specific obligations are outlined for each category, including licensing requirements, safety supervision, and operational measures. The law separates the operational and construction aspects, with construction requirements governed under the Roads and Buildings Law.

Construction work on the new “Paphos-Polis Chrysochous Road Project”, when completed by either 2030 or 2032, is estimated to exceed the cost of €330 million, and Polis Chrysochous would benefit being part of an upgraded integrated road network. In total, the Paphos-Polis Road will be 31km long and will be completed in two phases. The entire route starts from Ayia Marinouda Paphos  and ends at Polis Chrysochous. The project involves the initial construction of a two-lane road with a length of 15.5km, which will be followed by the road being upgraded to a four-lane road. The first phase includes the construction of a node connecting to the Limassol – Paphos highway. The construction will also include two tunnels that are 720m long and five bridges, each 290m long, two overpasses and nine underpasses. Finally, because of elevation of the road, additional traffic lanes will be constructed over 12 km. Major earthworks were initiated, mainly along the first phase of the road – from Paphos to Stroumbi/Tsada and estimated to be completed within the next three years. The second phase from Stroumbi/Tsada to Polis Chrysochous is of crucial importance for the Polis Chrysochous community as it will reduce the relatively short drive time to the Paphos airport even more. The second phase is awaiting an environmental impact study and the tender for the second phase of the project is set to be opened in February 2026. According to a Ministry announcement, the project concerns improvement works on the existing Paphos – Polis Chrysochous road, specifically the construction of two additional uphill traffic lanes, one on the section of the road from Mesogi to Tsada (on the traffic lane towards Tsada), approximately 1.8 km long, and one on the section of the road from Giolou to Stroumbi (on the traffic lane towards Paphos), approximately 1.5 km long. According to the Ministry, the new upgraded road network will contribute to the economic and tourist development of the Polis Chrysochous area, since it will facilitate the attraction of investments, the implementation of new and innovative business ideas resulting in the creation of jobs, and further attraction of visitors and tourists from Cyprus and abroad to this breath-taking part of the Island.

Cyprus is moving to address the longstanding issues of apartment building management through new legislation, as thousands of citizens living in such properties face challenges due to inadequate regulations and poor enforcement of existing laws. Parliamentary Interior Committee chairman Aristos Damianou announced that the bill’s examination will proceed swiftly, with discussions involving all relevant government departments and organisations having begun yesterday. The proposed legislation aims to end the current state of disorder that causes constant friction between property owners and leaves thousands of buildings poorly maintained. A key innovation of the bill grants management committees the authority to undertake reasonably necessary expenses for maintaining common areas when owners neglect their financial obligations. The Interior Ministry notes that the bill expands the responsibilities and powers of management committees, which will become mandatory for all jointly owned buildings and will operate according to standard or internal regulations. Key provisions of the legislation include: Establishment of a Registration Service for Jointly Owned Buildings and Management Committee Supervision Mandatory registration of buildings and management committees Implementation of standard internal regulations Compulsory insurance requirements Clear definition of unit owners’ rights and obligations The bill extends beyond registered buildings to include all jointly owned buildings with construction and division permits, regardless of whether they have obtained approval certificates or separate property titles. The legislation addresses critical issues such as non-payment of common expenses, insurance requirements, and building damage, responding to concerns raised by the Land Registry Department about weaknesses in current management practices and risks to safety. The Department of Lands and Surveys notes that the new framework aims to streamline its responsibilities to focus solely on possession and registration matters, given the increasing workload in this sector.

Cyprus will dramatically reduce the time needed for planning and building permits for small developments to just 40 days, down from the previous waiting period of up to 10 months or more, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou announced at a press conference. Under the new system, permits will be automatically issued if not reviewed by District Administration Organisations (DAOs) within 20 days. This includes 20 days for planning permission and another 20 days for building permits. While permits will be issued more quickly, project designers submitting applications will bear responsibility for any irregularities or violations discovered during subsequent inspections. Members of the Technical Chamber (ETEK) will conduct on-site inspections and report any violations, with DAOs also carrying out their own checks. The fast-track process will initially apply to Category A developments, which include low-risk projects of up to two residential units. The system will be extended to Category B developments by March 2025, covering projects of up to 12 housing units or apartment buildings with up to 20 flats, four storeys and one basement. The new procedure includes a checklist system where private designers certify application details are complete and accurate. For Category B developments, reviews will take 40 working days for planning permission and another 40 for building permits.

After, the president of the Paphos Chamber of Commerce and Industry clarified that the procedures regarding the submission of bids for the consultancy services for the Paphos Marina project had been completed, the deputy ministry of tourism and Deloitte Triton Paphos Marina Consortium signed a contract to provide consulting services responsible for the preparing of the tender process documents, towards finding a strategic investor for the Paphos Marina project. The total duration of the contract is 30 months. The tender process for the Paphos Marina is expected to be completed at the end of 2024, at which time the successful bidder will be known, whilst the project is expected to be completed around the end of 2026. Consultations with both public and private entities are going to take place in the coming months, as provided for in the contract, to finalise its parameters. Deputy Ministry of Tourism, Kostas Koumis said that the first step has been taken for the implementation of an important project for the district of Paphos, which is expected to upgrade the tourist product of the whole of the island and strengthen the foundations for the further development of maritime tourism and yachting tourism particularly, a form of tourism characterised primarily by high-income visitors. The aim of the contract is to create a tender process that will lead to the selection of a strategic investor, which will develop the marina using the Design, Built, Finance, Operate, Transfer, method. According to the deputy ministry, the marina is slated to be built in the Potima area, in Kissonerga village. The investor will have the option to either build a marina with a capacity of 1,000 boats, which will include both residential and commercial development, or a combined development of a marina of 1,000 boats, with infrastructure to accommodate cruise ships, which will also include residential and commercial development.

The beaches of Argaka, Gialia and Pomos received an award for quality it was announced during May 2023. In total, Paphos beaches have been distinguished with the awarding of 18 “Blue Flag” certifications the tourism development organisation said. As a result, Paphos won the 2022-23 “European Silver Coast of Quality” award and is included in the top 100 green destinations in Europe, it is stated in the announcement. Following a proposal by the tourism development organisation, which initially embraced the Blue Flag certification programme in 2013, the institution has been expanded to the beaches of Argaka, Gialia and Pomos, and now covers the entire district’s coastline. “With this award,” adds the announcement, “Paphos becomes even more famous for its unparalleled beauty, picturesque beaches and rich and rare flora in particular in the area of Polis Chrysochous, Latchi, Prodromi and Neo Chorio, up to Pomos.”. To receive a Blue Flag certification, beaches must check off criteria for regular e-coli testing of waters, provision of tourist amenities including disabled access, informational signs on the area’s biodiversity, air pollution and noise levels.

Projects worth €141 million are set to transform the Polis Chrysochous area in the coming years, said the mayor of Polis Chrysochous. Among these developments is the €60m expansion of the harbour at Latchi, described as “one of the most important tourist hubs of the municipality”. In an interview, the mayor of Polis Chrysochous spoke about several key projects, including the €45m sewerage system, the coastal road, the third phase of Latchi’s development, the redevelopment of the Polis and Prodromi centres, and the creation of an industrial zone. Numerous smaller projects are also planned. He also mentioned the forthcoming upgrades to the old Port Authority warehouses in Latchi, which will be transformed into a Multipurpose Sea and Culture Centre. There is also work in the pipeline for the municipality’s archaeological sites and for landscaping the courtyards of the Town Hall and the old police station. These initiatives, alongside the completion of the Paphos-Polis Road, are expected to attract more investors and boost tourism in the region, said the mayor. On the subject of the Paphos-Polis Road, he stressed the importance of continuing pressuring the government and relevant authorities to avoid further delays. “We will monitor the timetable for the second phase of the Paphos-Polis Road and the connection to Mesogi closely,” he said. “Since 2017, we’ve seen a total investment of €165 million in completed, ongoing, and planned projects within the Municipality of Polis Chrysochous. This significant expenditure points out our firm commitment to the area’s development and future prosperity”, he concluded.

The long-awaited contract for the development of a project for the Latchi harbour reconstruction was signed on Friday, May 28,2021 in the municipality of Polis Chrysochous. According to the plan, the project includes dining areas, roads, sidewalks and a bicycle path, toilets, parking lots and street lighting, reconstruction of residential buildings, creation of recreation areas with green spaces, as well as ramps and stairs where necessary, a water supply network and power supply, rainwater and sewerage management system. The project will also include the renovation of the central part of the road leading to the port and the beach in the center of Latchi, the construction of a 1,900 m2 parking lot and the renovation of the coastal strip as almost 40% of the total budget allocated for the resort modernization will be spent on this. The complete renovation of Latchi is expected to take a bit more than 4 years, after which it will turn into a center of attraction for locals and numerous tourists. The main goal is to improve the aesthetic appearance of the resort, as well as its accessibility and functionality. Initially, the harbour of Latchi (Port of Polis) was used by /shing boats and other small vessels. In recent years, due to the increasing demand from tourists, the harbour has been expanded – a new outdoor pool was built to serve recreational boats, while the old port pool was left for /shing boats. Over time, two docks with a length of 70 meters were erected, as well as a platform for small vessels with a length of 100 meters. Depth in the port is 2 to 4 meters.After the work was carried out, the port became the landmark of Polis,Prodromi and the village of Latchi.

Based on 2024 data, from the international platform, ”Numbeo”, there are interesting findings that show that the quality of life within Cyprus can vary from city to city. The Quality-of-Life Index, which takes indicators such as purchasing power, commute time and pollution and climate indicators, gives interesting facts about the cities of Cyprus. According to data from the international platform Numbeo, the highest quality of life index is by far Paphos, followed by Nicosia, Limassol and in last place is Larnaca. The two cities of Cyprus, Limassol and Larnaca, based on the international platform, get a moderate rating.There are four main municipalities in the Paphos District: Paphos, Geroskipou, Peyia, and Polis Chrysochous • In Paphos the purchasing power index is 88.24 (high), the safety index 67.44 (high), the health index 68.72 (high), the climate index 96.66 (very high), the cost-of-living index 55.45 (low), the property price to income ratio 5.48 (low), the travel time index 19.38 (very low), the pollution index 36.33 (low). The Quality-of-Life Index is 183.68 (very high). • In Nicosia the purchasing power index is 72.37 (medium), the safety index 69.25 (high), the health index 56.08 (moderate), the climate index 86.01 (very high), the cost-of-living index 53.80 (low), property price to income ratio 6.44 (low), travel time index 24.35 (very low), pollution index 58.72 (moderate). The quality-of-life index in Nicosia is 151.3 and is considered high. If we compare the quality of life between Nicosia and Athens, in the Greek capital the purchasing power index is 49.29 (low), the safety index 44.06 (moderate), the health index 59.58 (moderate), the climate index 95.18 (very high), the cost of living index 53.82 (low), the property price to income ratio 14.95 (high), the commute time index 38.64 (moderate), the pollution index 59.69 (moderate). The Quality-of-Life Index in Athens 118.82 (low). • In Limassol the purchasing power index is 66.77 (moderate), the safety index 63.68 (high), the health index 51.26 (moderate), the climate index 95.74 (very high), the cost-of-living index 57.99 (low), the property price to income ratio 11.21 (moderate), the travel time index 20.57 (very low), the pollution index 59.46 (moderate). The quality-of-life index is 143.14 (moderate). • In Larnaca the purchasing power index is 57.35 (low), the safety index is 71.49 (high), the health index 58.82 (moderate), the climate index 94.95 (very high), the cost-of-living index 58.73 (low), the property price to income ratio 8.89 (moderate), the commute time index 50 (high), the pollution index 53.21 (medium). ) The quality-of-life index is 138.63 (moderate).