Fitiris to push forward on Mathiatis prison plans despite community objection

Justice minister Costas Fitiris assured on Tuesday that the new central prison will be built on the outskirts of Mathiatis, citing its distance, its status as state land, and the requirement for the facility to be built on the outskirts of the capital.

“We have to start somewhere,” Fitiris insisted, adding that all studies and plans will follow prescribed procedures and that the project could expand over a 30-year horizon.

Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027, with completion expected in five years.

The announcement drew immediate criticism from Mathiatis community leader Theodoros Tsatsos, who said the ministry “was in a hurry to announce it,” leaving residents without full briefing.

He raised concerns over environmental impacts, remarking that the proposed site is a “pine-covered area”.

Tsatsos highlighted the strain on local resources, pointing out that Mathiatis already hosts two army camps and contains significant Turkish Cypriot land.

“It is not easy to reach an agreement. The project has to be presented to the community, environmental impact studies have to be carried out,” Tsatsos stressed.

Speaking to Alpha TV, Fitiris said the site, near Analiontas where a solar farm project was previously abandoned, contains no known antiquities and is not classified as forest.

He stressed that pre-trial detainees would remain in existing central prison wings close to the courts, while the new facility, costing an estimated €300 million, will house 1,500 inmates.

“The location has been presented to the community, and there is no objection to the construction,” Fitiris said on Monday.

He further emphasised that new measures, including the construction a detention centre for foreign nationals in Limnes, aim to improve management, safety, and prisoner rehabilitation.

The Mathiatis project marks a shift from expanding 19th-century central prisons, with the site’s isolation designed to limit public safety concerns while providing adequate space for secure, purpose-built facilities.

Fitiris had previously announced the recruitment of 90 new prison guards, who will undergo mandatory training, and the reopening and upgrading of the prison guard training school.

He said the government intends to modernise the system comprehensively, balancing operational efficiency, inmate safety, and rehabilitation.

Tsatsos said the decision on whether the prison proceeds will depend on how the ministry responds to a set of preconditions, including measures to protect the environment, archaeological sites, farms, and local income.

He stressed that Mathiatis cannot easily absorb the proposed development without addressing these concerns.