Plans advance for new €300m prison in Nicosia

Justice Minister Costas Fitiris on Thursday held a meeting with officials from relevant authorities to discuss the next steps in planning a new central prison.

The meeting was attended by the justice ministry’s director-general, as well as representatives from the public works department, the urban planning department, the electromechanical services, and the prisons department.

According to the ministry, the meeting forms part of broader coordination efforts for the project and focused on key planning data and the direction needed to move forward as quickly as possible.

Recently published plans indicate that the new prison will be built on the outskirts of Mathiatis, in the Nicosia district.

The facility is expected to cost around €300 million and will have a capacity of 1,500 inmates, including pre-trial detainees.

The current central prison in Ayios Dhometios has exceeded capacity and currently houses 1,177 prisoners, with longstanding issues related to overcrowding.

In a report published in December 2025, the Council of Europe’s committee for the prevention of torture expressed “grave concerns” over “high levels of inter-prisoner violence” and described living conditions as “very poor”, partly due to overcrowding.

Measures to address these issues were announced in December. In January, 164 foreign inmates were deported to ease pressure on the prison, and earlier this year it was confirmed that the new facility is expected to be completed within four years.

Separately, Fitiris also announced a new framework to support the employment and reintegration of prisoners, in cooperation with the employers’ federation (Oev).

Both parties signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at strengthening the employment rehabilitation of prisoners, expanding cooperation first established in 2020.

The agreement introduces an enhanced incentives scheme designed to facilitate access to the labour market and support reintegration.

According to Oev, the renewed partnership builds on previous results that “led to the professional rehabilitation of 116 of our fellow citizens.”

The scheme provides financial support to employers of up to €860 per month for a period of two years, with a maximum contribution of €20,640 per beneficiary.

Fitiris described the initiative as part of a structured policy approach that treats imprisonment as “an organised path of reintegration with real prospects.”

In its statement, Oev underlined the importance of employment as a stabilising factor.

“Access to work is the most important factor for smooth social reintegration and the reduction of recidivism,” it said, adding that promoting opportunities contributes to “a more inclusive and creative future.”

A joint committee between the ministry and Oev will oversee implementation, ensuring coordination and monitoring outcomes.