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Cyprus Sets €500 Million Transport Plan For 2025

Strategic Vision For 2025

Cyprus Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works outlined its policy and project roadmap for 2025 under Minister Alexis Vafeadis. The plan focuses on electric mobility, road infrastructure and upgrades across ports, airports and public transport systems.

Four Pillars Of Progress

The strategy is based on four priorities: improving travel times, supporting the green transition, upgrading infrastructure and enhancing public services. These areas form the framework for transport policy development in 2025.

Electric Mobility: Powering A Greener Future

Vafeadis said the transition to electric vehicles remains a key priority. Despite a narrowing price gap with conventional vehicles, government incentives are still required to support adoption. A new grant scheme is being prepared through 2030, with annual subsidies planned. Around 2,500 grants worth €21.5 million were issued in 2025, contributing to a target of 85,000 electric vehicles on Cyprus roads by 2030.

Infrastructure Investments And Major Projects

Several infrastructure projects are under review, including those linked to the Recovery and Resilience Plan. The Pafos–Chrysochous road project remains under reassessment following issues with a previous contractor. A new tender process is underway for a four-lane motorway connecting Stroumbi to Chrysochous, aimed at improving regional connectivity and road safety.

Ports, Marinas, And Airports: Catalysts For Economic Growth

Projects in the maritime and aviation sectors are also progressing. The Larnaca marina development is being reassessed following delays linked to weather conditions. Revenue from the Limassol port concession reached about €60 million in 2025, supported by increased container traffic. Passenger numbers in Cyprus reached 13.7 million in 2025, prompting expansion plans at Larnaca and Paphos airports and wider connectivity to 41 countries.

Mitigating Urban Congestion And Revitalizing Public Transport

Limassol continues to face traffic congestion, with around 13,000 new vehicle registrations each year. Plans include the Northern Limassol Bypass and additional projects aimed at reducing pressure on urban roads. Public transport recorded 28 million passenger journeys annually. Authorities aim to improve service levels and increase usage over time.

Modernizing Regulatory And Technological Frameworks

Policy measures also address shortages of professional drivers and the rollout of smart traffic systems. Updated photo enforcement systems have contributed to a reduction in traffic violations.

A Bold Investment In The Future

The ministry allocated more than €500 million for transport-related projects in 2025, excluding spending managed by other departments. This funding supports infrastructure upgrades and ongoing development of the transport network.

Cyprus’ Poverty And Social Exclusion Risk Stands At 17.1%

Cyprus recorded a poverty or social exclusion risk rate of 17.1% in 2025, below the European Union average of 20.9%, according to new Eurostat figures. Across the bloc, however, more than 92 million people continued to face the risk, highlighting persistent social and economic inequalities.

More Than 92 Million People At Risk Across The EU

A total of 92.7 million people across the EU were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2025, equivalent to just over one in five residents.

Cyprus is treated as a single statistical region because of its size, unlike many member states divided into multiple regions for comparison. Its national figure therefore provides an overall picture but does not capture differences between districts or communities.

Regional Gaps Remain Stark Across Europe

The risk varied considerably across the EU, with the highest rates concentrated largely in southern, eastern and outermost regions. In 24 of the 243 regions with available data, at least 31.5% of the population faced poverty or social exclusion.

These regions were located in Spain, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, France and Romania, as well as Brussels in Belgium and Bremen in north-western Germany.

French Guiana recorded the highest rate, at 54.8%, followed by Calabria in southern Italy at 45.3% and Sicily at 44%. Melilla, a Spanish autonomous city, recorded 43.7%, while Réunion, another French outermost region, stood at 42.3%.

Central Europe Records The Lowest Rates

At the other end of the scale, 24 regions reported poverty or social exclusion risk rates below 13% in 2025. These included five eastern EU capital regions: Bratislava in Slovakia, Warsaw in Poland, Prague in the Czech Republic, Budapest in Hungary and Zagreb in Croatia.

Other regions with low rates were concentrated in northern Italy, the Czech Republic, northern Belgium, Hungary, Poland and Austria, illustrating the uneven distribution of economic security across Europe.

Cyprus Remains Below The EU Average

Cyprus’ rate of 17.1% places it below the EU average, although it remains higher than the levels recorded in the bloc’s lowest-risk regions.

The figures suggest that Cyprus performs relatively well compared with the wider EU, but poverty and social exclusion remain significant challenges across the bloc, affecting more than 92 million people.

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