I’ve lived in Cyprus for many years and own a property in Paphos. My income is a pension that goes straight to a Cyprus bank and I am a fully legal resident and driver. I also hold a disabled ‘parking card’. Immediately next to my property is a kindergarten, which I’ve learned is property rented from a landlord who lives elsewhere in Cyprus.
Over several years I became aware of some large trees within the play area of the kindergarten. One grew steadily until reaching at least 20 metres in height (possibly more), with huge lower branches extending many metres beyond two of the borders in one corner.

I’m no expert on trees, but I gradually realised the tree could very feasibly collapse, risking damage to both people and property around the play area. I therefore spoke to the head of the kindergarten about trimming the tree. She suggested I should pay for any trimming…

I reported the situation to the Paphos municipality in early February 2022.

This resulted in a few visits leading to minor trimming around the outside of the kindergarten border. It seemed to me the workmen were municipality gardeners. The trimming consisted of simply shortening the ends of overhanging branches from around eight to two metres. This seemed insufficient so I awaited additional developments after they left.

But nothing further happened and, in July 2023, I contacted the municipality again. Apparently an officer had been appointed, and we communicated via e-mail and phone. But he never visited and now seems to have blocked my number.
In early 2024 I wrote a letter to the Mayor of Paphos and delivered it in person at the town hall. By coincidence I met the mayor as he exited his office. He immediately read the letter and gave it to his staff.
I waited even more, but after no reply I e-mailed the mayor’s office in late April. A staff member replied asking for more information, which I provided with photos, but still nobody visited to view the trees. I phoned again and was told the municipality had no responsibility or authority in this regard.
By then I was openly concerned that children from the kindergarten were potentially at serious risk of injury. Or worse!
I phoned the municipality again and spoke to a different officer. They suggested contacting the forestry department, the educational department, or the police.
The forestry department told me they had no jurisdiction on private property and were unable to help. I then decided to check if the police could ask an officer to visit to propose a way forward.
I visited the police in Paphos and explained the situation to a female sergeant there. She phoned someone and told me I had ten minutes to get home for a visit from a representative from the municipality. This was impossible, and she ignored me when I suggested giving my phone number to the representative. Predictably, there was no visitor when I finally got home.
So now, over two years since beginning my effort to report a possible danger to children and their school, the situation has rolled back to its starting point and no action is apparently forthcoming.
Must I keep waiting until a child is killed?

Name and address supplied