Paphos mayor says 300 people to be evicted following balcony collapses

[memory man]

Around 300 migrants are set to be evicted from buildings on Poseidonos Avenue in Paphos after two balconies on the same street collapsed last week, injuring five people, three of whom remain hospitalised.

The decision was taken by Paphos mayor Phedonas Phedonos, who met the town’s municipal council on Monday night.

Speaking to Politis radio on Tuesday, Phedonos said the planned evictions are the only solution to the current state of affairs in certain old neighbourhoods of Paphos, adding that the legislation regulating the issue is currently incomplete and does not provide alternatives.

“The responsibility of providing a safe living environment in apartments of old buildings lies with the owners,” he said.

“That is why I believe the legislation is incomplete. There is no general plan aimed at upgrading old buildings and it is impossible for the municipality to check hundreds of them.”

Phedonos said that almost all buildings deemed unsafe were built before 1994, when the anti-seismic law in Cyprus, which requires adherence to strict safety criteria, was passed in the House.

“With the eviction order for the 300 migrants, I intend to test the law,” the mayor added.

Phedonos also explained that any municipal officer presenting an eviction order must be accompanied by at least one police officer.

However, before proceeding with the eviction, an alternative residence needs to be secured.

“That responsibility lies within the interior ministry and it is important that all families who receive an eviction order have an alternative provided for them.”

Throughout the past week, Phedonos and the interior ministry have blamed each other over the presence of unsuitable and dangerous living quarters in Paphos.

https://cyprus-mail.com/2022/07/12/paph ... collapses/


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[WHL]

And put them where?

[Uncle D]

Peyia is full of empty properties, they could move them there

[The Aquila]

Peyia doesnt have enough water to go round as it is, Uncle D let alone adding more people

[Yioula]

There must be many properties in Paphos area that aren’t fit for purpose, unfortunately

[Kili01]

Perhaps there are some disused Army or National Guard camps? Tented accommodation perhaps?
Dee

[lefkes]

Perhaps when the church finish building their new hotel they will have compassion for these[ poor souls] and provide this housing for them .
lefkes.

[Kili01]

Agree. The Church could , if it wanted to, help the refugees. But it seems that they spend their money on huge new churches and real estate.

[WHL]

Agree. The Church could , if it wanted to, help the refugees. But it seems that they spend their money on huge new churches and real estate.

Ignorant remarks yet again, the Church of cyprus does indeed help many refugees, with food and clothing etc etc , how do I know this,my wife gives her time to go and cook for these poor people, as for housing these people , even the church doesn't have the means to house thousands of people,
Instead of having a pop at the church, would you like to tell us what you personally do to help refugees , do you give up your time to cook, perhaps give a room in your home, ????????

[Kili01]

I've given food, clothes and toys. We all do our bit to help refugees. Housing them seems one of the biggest issues.
No need for your unpleasent remarks. Wonder what you do personally, WHL?

Dee

[WHL]

I've given food, clothes and toys. We all do our bit to help refugees. Housing them seems one of the biggest issues.
No need for your unpleasent remarks. Wonder what you do personally, WHL?

Dee

Over 35 years of living here my wife mostly but also myself, we have given alot of time, going right back when the Lebanese's refugees arrived here needing help.
When replying to your constant negative posts, im just trying to balance things up, if you see them as being unpleasant, then Tuff.

[Kili01]

If one is forced to agree with everything on here all the time there would be no debate. One thing which I noticed on the Eastern Forum was the complete lack of any back
biting. What a pleasant change. Neither is it fair to always use me as a kicking post.
Perhaps you should find other things to do, WHL

Dee

[trevnhil]

Dee. If we are talking of the same Eastern Forum, run by Steve then you don't visit it every day

[Kili01]

Hi Trev,
No, I don't, perhaps I visited it on a good day! I thought the posts which I read were a snap shot of life over there... I have also been told that there are less Brits over there.....

Dee

[Dominic]

Perhaps the fact that you don't post there could explain why there is no back-biting?

[PhotoLady]

Article today in sigmalive:
https://simerini.sigmalive.com/article/ ... n-spition/

I put it through Google Translate:

The Municipality of Paphos decided to take measures for non-cooperative owners of unsuitable buildings, after the incidents of balcony collapses in old buildings.

With public safety as the first priority, the Municipality of Paphos proceeds to take measures within its powers defined by the legislation to remove the risk of buildings and to create an effective and functional legislative framework for checking the suitability of buildings in terms of static adequacy.

According to an announcement by the Municipality, in its last session, the Municipal Council carried out a thorough examination of the situation in the city in relation to dangerous buildings in light of the incidents of the collapse of parts of privately owned buildings on Nikou Antoniadis Street and Poseidonos Avenue, despite the Municipal Bathrooms (See PHOTO).

Evaluating the technical data put before it and relying on the advice/opinions of the legal partners of the Municipality, the Council decided to take specific measures with an urgent procedure as far as possible in relation to nine cases of buildings which in the last three years or so have shown signs of danger or / and unsuitability for use and habitation.

For these cases, measures have been launched that fall under the provisions of the Law on Municipalities and the Law on Regulation of Streets and Buildings, which provide, among other things, in case of non-compliance of the owners involved, the imposition of a one-time administrative fine of up to €10,000 and a fine of up to €200 for each follow-up day of the non-compliance.

For three of the above-mentioned cases, the issuance of a decree for the evacuation of the buildings is being promoted, while for five of them, a process of removing the risk is underway during the last 3-18 months in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Regulation of Roads and Buildings.

Furthermore, the Council decided that the Municipality should ask the Union of Municipalities of Cyprus to undertake an effort to amend the incomplete and de facto ineffective legislation that governs the control of public buildings in order to institutionalize the regular and strict control of the suitability of buildings after a specific limit (e.g. 30 years and above) with the requirement of securing a certificate of suitability at regular intervals.

With the aim of expediting and intensifying the suitability control of old buildings that present obvious external problems, it was decided to strengthen the Technical Services Department with a Technical Services Officer under the status of a fixed-term employee for 24 months, in the specialty of Civil Engineering. To this end, the relevant approval was requested in the form of urgency from the co-competent Ministries of Interior and Finance.