Cyprus Refugee Resident Demands €500,000 to Leave Unsafe Housing, Slowing Ktizo Relocation Scheme

Cyprus Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou revealed in parliament that a refugee living in an unsafe government‑controlled building slated for demolition is refusing to vacate unless the state pays €500,000 for renovations he claims to have carried out. The demand comes amid the Ktizo programme, a €130 million initiative that offers incentives for tenants of 43 structurally‑dangerous buildings to move into new government‑subsidised housing. Under Ktizo, beneficiaries who choose to relocate must contribute about 10 percent of a new apartment’s value, while those who opt out receive a one‑off grant. To date, only one new building has been completed out of 19 planned, and the interior minister cited tenant resistance as a key bottleneck. The €500,000 claim highlights the friction between refugees’ expectations and the state’s willingness to fund costly renovations.