Dispute erupts over responsibility for dangerous buildings

The matter of dangerous buildings and who is responsible for demolishing them has become a sore point between the new-fangled district self-governing organisations (EOA) and the municipalities, it emerged in parliament on Thursday.

By law, as of October 1 responsibility over dangerous buildings passes from the municipalities to the EOA – the new district-level organisations formed under the reform of local government that kicked in earlier this year.

But EOA reps told MPs they have neither the funds nor the staff or technical know-how to handle the matter.

As a result, parliamentarians are now considering drafting legislation that would keep jurisdiction over dangerous buildings with the municipalities for an extra year.

However, municipalities have reacted to the idea, as they say they, too, lack the requisite technical expertise and don’t wish to be ‘dumped’ with one more responsibility.

For its part, the government seemed unable or unwilling to provide a solution. An official with the interior ministry simply informed MPs that the law will kick in on October 1 as scheduled and that this cannot change.

The same official said moreover that there exists no legal way for the central government to provide funds to the EOA to take on the responsibility over dangerous buildings, as the EOA are supposed to be self-financing.

By law, the central government may transfer funds to municipalities, but not to the EOA.

Yiannis Tsouloftas, the head of the Limassol EOA, said they’re not refusing to take on the responsibility, but they need the legal and financial tools to do so.

He suggested that the EOA be granted a ‘grace period’ so that in the meantime the government can tweak the regulations.

“They’ve saddled us with the [town-planning] permit amnesty plan as well, and meanwhile we’re having to focus with the volume of construction permits we inherited,” Tsouloftas complained.

The unions meantime also grumbled about insufficient financing. Citing a study, in one area alone they’ve identified at least five buildings on the verge of collapse. The funds required to tackle this are substantial, they said.

Opposition MPs blamed the administration for not having tied up all loose ends before ushering in the new system of local government.

There are five EOA, one per district – Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos and Famagusta. Each EOA is responsible for urban planning, sewerage, water supply, and solid waste management services.