Ministry of Interior to accelerate real estate auctions by engaging private appraisers

The Ministry of Interior in Cyprus, within the 2026 budget, plans to accelerate real estate auctions by assigning valuation work to private appraisers, according to the minister’s address presented in parliament on November 10, 2025. The department will be renamed the Ministry of Interior and Civil Protection.

The budget allocates €35 million for housing programs, including planning incentive schemes and construction projects for subsequent rental, which provide developers with additional building coefficients of 25–45%.

According to the minister’s estimate, 1,476 housing units will enter the market in the next two years, of which 251 will be offered at affordable prices. The Cyprus Land Development Corporation has already received €8 million from the purchase of incentive planning rights, and the funds will be directed towards building affordable housing for purchase or rent.

The fast-track building approval service processed 1,328 applications for single- and two-family houses and 253 applications for apartment buildings of up to 20 units, which, according to the minister, will enable more than 3,500 families to resolve their housing needs in the short term.

In 2026, a division for supervision and inspections will be created in the Department of Town Planning and Housing Policy to monitor major strategic projects on site. State subsidies to local authorities for 2026–2028 will amount to €439 million, and municipal subsidies — €117 million per year.

The ministry’s budget for 2026 amounts to €779.7 million, which is €28.3 million more than the approved 2025 budget and almost €130 million more than the actual expenditures of 2024. The ministry manages European funds for projects totaling €635.6 million, of which the European Union’s contribution amounts to €482.7 million.