Cyprus Justice Ministry Switches New Prison Site to Ayios Sozomenos, Faces Local Opposition

The Ministry of Justice announced on Tuesday that it had abandoned plans to build a new central prison in Mathiatis and will instead locate the €300 million, 1,500‑bed facility in Ayios Sozomenos. The change was justified on cost and time grounds, citing the village’s existing road, sewage, water and electricity links. The decision follows criticism from the Akel party, which said the ministry had moved the site without studies or consultation with local authorities. Akel urged the ministry and Justice Minister Costas Fitiris to conduct proper studies and engage affected communities before finalising the location. Municipalities of Dali and Latsia‑Yeri have demanded an immediate reversal, arguing that Ayios Sozomenos already hosts industrial and agricultural activity, lies within land earmarked for livestock farming, and contains historic Byzantine and Latin ruins. The Mathiatis proposal had been rejected by a heritage protection group and local residents for environmental and cultural reasons.