The Larnaca wing of the University of Cyprus has not been “abandoned”, the education ministry said on Thursday, instead pointing to delays caused by the skyrocketing of the project’s estimated cost.

The ministry sought to counter claims that the government has “abandoned” the plans for the Larnaca Marine Science and Technology School, with Education Minister Prodromos Prodromou stating that problems arose after the university dramatically altered its estimates for the cost.

“Problem arose with the implementation after the University of Cyprus altered its initial estimate from the cost being €25m (€55m euros cost with expectations of €30m in revenue over a decade) to costing over €100m (with estimates of €3.5m in revenue over a decade,” Prodromou said.

Another factor for the project’s postponement was the initial building plot for the university has since changed

Prodromou said that the government is more than ready to begin work on the project should it be in line with the initial estimates and agreements made therein.

It was announced last week that the University of Cyprus had put an end to the plans for the Larnaca Marine Science and Technology School, according to reports following a House education committee.

At the time, the reason given was the unexpected high cost of building the facility, estimated at around €100mi by University of Cyprus officials.

Committee chairman, Diko’s Chrysanthos Savvides called the estimated cost “unheard of”, explaining that the government promise for a state university in Larnaca was based on an estimate made by previous university officials which set the cost at €15m.

“As we learned today, the government was aware from 2019 that the school was going to cost €100m,” Savvides said.

“People in Larnaca are being mocked, as they are waiting for a project that seems impossible to implement,” he added