Filenews 17 December 2025 - by Angelos Nikolaou
Serious irregularities and omissions in the management of waste from excavations, constructions and demolitions (ECDW) during the construction of the new building of the Morphou Police Directorate (ADM) in Evrychou, are demonstrated by a Special Report of the Audit Office which concerns an audit of the Department of Public Works (TDE).
The report notes that the audit confirmed violations of waste legislation and found omissions by both the contractor and the contracting authority (WB), mainly in the implementation and control of the Waste Management Plan. Furthermore, it is noted that an illegal deposit of ECDW in an adjacent area was recorded, without the required approvals and without sufficient documentation of quantities and final disposal.
As reported by the TDB, the management was related, among other things, to the levelling of an area for the creation of parking and access spaces. The Audit Office requested that the relevant laboratory tests carried out and submitted by the contractor be sent, e.g. for the suitability of the material and its compression.
However, he notes, the relevant correspondence with the contractor, and/or the designers of the project, has not been submitted, as well as the relevant instruction given to the contractor to change the way of embankment, since, as stated by the TDE in the above letter, no change was issued for the way the backfilling was carried out, as no specific methodology was specified in the tender documents, in addition to the restrictions on the type of material, the thickness of the layers and the degree of condensation, which were in any case respected.
In the report, the Audit Office emphasizes that there was a significant delay in the investigation of the issue by the competent Department (Department of Environment), which affected the possibility of full restoration of the site.
"Despite our communication with the Department of Environment, the investigation of the matter remained pending for a long time, which raises concerns regarding the completeness, documentation and effectiveness of the investigation of the matter by the Department of Environment and the possibility of restoring the site," notes the Auditor General.
The completion of the investigation by the competent Department of Environment was completed on 27/10/2025, following the remark of the Audit Office through the draft of this special report to it, for the need to take immediate measures for the restoration of the site and the attribution of responsibilities.
The report highlights the need for strict implementation of legislation, enhanced oversight and substantial training of the officials involved to ensure legality, environmental protection and good administration in public works.
The project, with a total contract value of €4,047,850, was implemented using the design, construction and 12-year maintenance method, with the Department of Public Works as the Contracting Authority.
The Auditor General, Andreas Papakonstantinou, in the preface to the special report, emphasizes that the audit began following a named complaint and confirmed the complainant's claims. Violations of the "Waste Laws (2011-2022)" and significant omissions by the contracting authority in the control of the contractor were found.
As it states, the initially submitted Waste Management Plan was incomplete and was not revised, despite the changes in the management method proposed by the contractor, while there was an illegal deposit of ECDW outside the construction site, without securing the necessary approvals and/or ensuring documentation of quantities or control of their final disposal.
"This report highlights the need to strengthen the strict implementation of the regulatory framework governing the management of waste from excavations, constructions and demolitions, as well as the substantial training of the officials of the contracting authorities, in order to ensure legality, environmental protection and good administration at all stages of the execution of public works", emphasizes Mr. Papaconstantinou.
The audit of the Audit Office, which also included an on-site audit on 29/5/2023. The next day (30/5/2023), "F" revealed the issue, while it continued in the following days with the intervention of the Minister of Transport, Alexis Vafeadis. However, the Department of Environment imposed a fine of €2,000 on the offender, 2.5 years later on 27/10/2025, after informing the Audit Office through the draft of the special report on the need to take immediate measures to restore the site and attribute responsibility.
