Filenews 5 February 2026
The modernization of the State, with an emphasis on continuous Reforms and Digital Transformation, is the third pillar of priorities of the government's planning for 2026.
As announced by the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, following the important services already offered digitally, in 2026 more than 100 new digital services will be introduced, and at the same time new information systems will be implemented in the Department of Social Insurance, Road Transport and the Police.
The "Digital Citizen" application, which currently serves over 135,000 of our fellow citizens, is also being upgraded, adding new services, such as the purchase of tickets for sports competitions and child ID.
"The safe use of Social Media by our children is justifiably of concern to our Society and our Government" said the President and announced that the government is proceeding with the preparation of an Action Plan and in cooperation with our partners in the European Union, to use the application for age verification in order to protect our children online.
In relation to Artificial Intelligence, the President of the Republic announced that an action plan is being implemented and in the immediate future the first Cypriot AI Factory will be put into operation, providing access to overcomputing power infrastructure. At the same time, as he said, the creation of a national supercomputer is being promoted, in cooperation with an American giant.
The need for continuous Reforms includes this year a comprehensive redesign of the Land Registry procedures, speeding up the examination of applications through electronic submission, and simplifying the way transfer fees are calculated. At the same time, a new legislative framework for the rational use of state land is being promoted, based on the principles of Transparency and Equal Treatment: The institution of open bidding for properties of high commercial value is introduced, the process of reviewing rents is improved and the scope of utilization of state land is expanded, to meet new needs and uses that serve the public interest.
In 2026, the country's urban and spatial planning is also modernized to meet the needs of citizens, as follows:
- Revision of the Local Plans for Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca and Paphos
- Publication of the first revised chapter of the Policy Statement
- The first 10 pilot projects of Urban Land Consolidation are being prepared
- A new, simple fee calculation system for building permits is introduced, significantly reducing examination times
- The fast-track licensing process is extended to listed buildings
- The process of transferring the building factor is being modernized.
