Liopetri fishing harbour and river road network opened to public

The road network at the Liopetri fishing harbour and river development project site, which had been plagued by a two-year construction delay before works resumed March, was handed over to the public on Saturday.

“There were huge delays and we took the drastic decision to terminate the contract, with the agreement of the local authorities,” Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said, inaugurating the project.

Works on the €8 million project initially kicked off in 2020 under contractor Lois Builders Ltd and was set to be wrapped up in 2023. In late 2024, the interior ministry ended the employment of the company, and in March 2025 works at the construction site resumed.

The completion of the roadworks, Ioannou said, became possible soon after the termination of the contract, adding that procedures for awarding the tender for the construction of platforms in the area are at an advanced level with works expected to launch in October.

Liopetri mayor Markos Koumis said that through completion of the roadworks, fishermen were finally able to access the fishing shelter, stressing this had been a serious problem.

“The second major problem, however, remains, the jetties, so that fishermen can tie up their boats. But, as the minister has told us, these projects will also begin very soon and we are confident that they will be completed,” he added.

Ayia Napa major Christos Zanettou said the project was set to be fully completed in 2026.

“We have been vindicated and indeed after almost five years, we have the road here open for traffic,” Zanettou said.

The ministry had terminated the project after 22 months progress was only at 50 per cent and by late 2023 had only progressed to 55 per cent.

Contractor Lois Builders, however, rejected the ministry’s statement, claiming there had in fact been a 32 per cent increase in the project’s progress, adding his company had been given a termination notice five months before the completion date, calling the decision an unprecedented move.

In March 2025, the ministry announced that works on the Liopetri site would be restarted with an aimed completion date set for June.