Thirty development projects provided for in the budget department of public works totaling €166 mn are expected to be launched in 2016.

During the first half of this year invitations to tender for the construction of 23 projects totaling €144 mn will be initiated while seven other projects of a total cost of €22 mn are planned for the second half.

The 23 projects scheduled for the first half of 2016 spread to almost all major cities and in the countryside mainly for construction or maintenance of roads.

They also include about €80 mn for the archeological museum (€50 mn) and the Nicosia district court (€32,5 mn), which, however, have to do only with the architectural competitions.

Other major projects is the renovation of the municipal theater of Nicosia (€14 mn), the construction of a new fire station in Limassol (€6 mn), the extension of Kallipoleos avenue (€ 5,9 mn) and the renovation of the historic building of the Chief Secretary (€4,9 mn).

Among the projects planned for the first half of 2016 is the restoration of a building under preservation of the family court in Nicosia (€4,2 mn), the improvement of the Ay. Fylaxeos avenue in Limassol (€3,5 mn), the construction of a new police station in Paralimni (€3,5 mn), the conversion of the house of nurses into a clinic in Kyperounta (€ 3,2 mn), the construction of a building for port and maritime police in Limassol (€3 mn), the building of a fire station at Vasiliko (€1,9 mn), the improvement of coastal northwestern front in Paphos at the Venus area (€1,9 mn), the improvement of the archaeological museum in Paphos (€1,5 mn), the improvement of Franklin Roosevelt avenue in Limassol (€1,8 mn) and the building of a health center in Athienou (€ 1,1 mn).

As regards the second half of 2016 the largest project is the demolition of the Berengaria settlement in K. Polemidia (€9,5 mn). This work will be completed in three phases.

The second half also includes among others the construction of the road connecting the center of Yeroskipou with its tourist area (€3,5 mn), the improvement of Emba avenue in Paphos (€3,6 mn) and the construction of a section of April 1 avenue in Paralimni (€1,8 mn).

According to statements by the head of the department of public works Chrystalla Malouppa to StockWatch, "the respective tenders for construction of any development projects is a given, once launched by the competent departments of the state".

In addition to the projects to be launched in 2016, there are currently ongoing projects of €92 mn.

Miss Malouppa said that to date there is a number of projects which have been awarded to private contracting companies and the final signatures are expected.

Overall, projects of €21 mn have been awarded and final signatures are expected soon.

Projects of €54 mn have "stuck" in the Tenders Review Authority, including the project of €32 mn for the vertical road to the port of Limassol.

Referring to projects whose execution is delayed, she explained that this occurred because of the intervention of the Tenders Review Authority which annulled bids for execution of various projects that had been won by contracting companies which were involved in the scandal of SAPA.

These companies have now been excluded from submitting any tender for state projects.