A total of 247,552 Greek Cypriots, according to 2025 data from the Civil Registry of the Ministry of Interior, have been away from their homes for 52 years, since they were forcibly uprooted during the Turkish invasion in July-August 1974.
Four generations of uprooted people, for 52 years, have been counting sorrows, struggling to heal wounds, to form a framework of normality to raise their families in a state of long-term waiting, while at the same time clinging to memories in the hope of returning.
The backdrop of this ongoing drama has been for decades the refugee settlements that hosted the vast majority of displaced people. According to the data of the Ministry of Interior, the displaced were housed in 69 government settlements throughout Cyprus, which were created gradually after 1974 and exist to this day.
There they temporarily housed their lives, although this temporary condition proved to be definitive for a large part of the first generation of displaced people, who passed away waiting to return to their homes. With the passage of 52 years and after entire generations were born and raised in the settlements, with the unshakable weight of the refugee, time leaves its mark. In addition to the aging of the buildings, there seems to be a change in the population composition of the 69 settlements.
According to the Ministry of Interior, given that we are currently in the fourth generation of refugees, it is not clear how many of the displaced people from the first to the fourth generation still live in the refugee settlements.
The Ministry, which is not in a position to know either the exact population composition of the settlements, or the average of their inhabitants, notes that several of the displaced may be renting their apartments, others may have sold them, others may be living alone in others and in others, with members of their family.
An important factor in this development was the regulation for the granting of title deeds to displaced persons for housing in government settlements and self-housing settlements, from 2006 onwards. Until then, the displaced persons lived in settlements under the regime of concession of use or lease.
For the tens of thousands of families who found themselves in an instant without a home, without supports or guarantees, the right to own these temporary residences was a last resort 30 years after their uprooting.
Living with temporary solutions, 52 years later...
In recent years, the maintenance and ensuring of the suitability of the houses in the settlements has been an issue that has primarily concerned the tenants, but also the State.
According to the Ministry of Interior, upgrades and/or repairs have been carried out through the "Program of reconstruction, repair/strengthening and radical improvement of the buildings of eight Government Settlements", which began to be implemented in 2000 following Ministerial Decisions in eight Government Settlements (Pano Lakatameia, Strovolos II, Agios Pavlos and Agios Mamas in Nicosia, Agioi Anargyroi I in Larnaca and Agios Athanasios, Makarios III and Linopetra in Limassol), which were erected first and, therefore, presented the most problems.
In the context of the above program, the construction of 47 apartment buildings and 187 houses and the repair/radical strengthening of 50 apartment buildings and 2,200 houses have been implemented so far. It is noted that this program is ongoing.
Also, the Elevator Installation Program in existing apartment buildings of the Government Housing Settlements for Displaced Persons concerned the installation of elevators in 368 existing apartment buildings throughout Cyprus. To date, the installation of elevators in 124 existing apartment buildings has been completed.
It is noted that 202 elevators are installed (124 in existing apartment buildings and 78 in new apartment buildings) in government settlements throughout Cyprus. The "Elevator Installation Program in all existing apartment buildings in the Government Housing Settlements for Displaced Persons" has been terminated, after it was included in the "ktiZO" Sponsorship Scheme, with a grant from the State of €90,000/apartment building.
In 2023, the Council of Ministers approved the implementation of the "ktiZO" Plan, which is currently underway, with the aim of providing a definitive solution to the problems of unsuitability and danger of apartment buildings and ensuring safe and dignified living conditions for their residents.
The Plan is implemented in three phases, based on the degree of danger of the 358 apartment buildings that were included in the Plan and are located in refugee settlements throughout Cyprus.
The first phase includes 43 apartment buildings, which were deemed unsuitable and dangerous, are under evacuation and demolition to build new ones. The second phase concerns 70 apartment buildings in need of repair, for which a state grant of up to €300,000 is granted (plus €90,000 for the installation of an elevator). The third phase includes 245 apartment buildings with minor problems, which are being repaired with a grant from the State of €300,000 (plus €90,000 for the installation of an elevator).
Specifically, the first two apartment buildings in the settlements of Apostolos Andreas in Latsia and Kokkines in Strovolos are expected to be delivered in the coming weeks. At the same time, the construction of six more apartment buildings in Nicosia and Limassol is underway, while the construction of two more in Limassol and Larnaca will begin in the autumn.
At the same time, the start of the second and third phases of the Plan was accelerated. So far there is interest from 26 apartment buildings in the second phase and 30 in the third phase.
At the same time, the Department maintains General Maintenance Contracts for refugee settlements in the Districts of Nicosia, Larnaca-Free Famagusta and Limassol-Paphos, through which repair/maintenance works are carried out in residential units to ensure the safety and health of the beneficiary refugees residing in them.
These works are carried out at the request of the beneficiary, by telephone or in writing, and works have been carried out in a large number of the housing units of the refugee settlements throughout Cyprus. Also, in case of need, the Department proceeds to carry out works through Specialized Contracts to satisfy the requests received.
