The Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Evel) has cautiously welcomed President Nikos Christodoulides’ latest pledges for the city, backing the vision but pressing the government to deliver clear deadlines and follow-through.

In a statement issued this week, Evel thanked the president and the Council of Ministers for their visit to Limassol over the weekend and the open dialogue held with MPs, local authorities, state agencies, organised bodies and civil society representatives.

“Evel welcomes the announcement for the creation of infrastructure, the inclusion of projects in government planning as well as the start of the process of revising the local plan,” the chamber said.

While expressing “moderate optimism,” the chamber stressed the “urgent need to set clear and binding timetables, both for the implementation of the announcements and projects, and for addressing the acute traffic problem that plagues the city.”

It also welcomed the government’s intentions for the establishment of a technological park in Pentakomo and said it was awaiting further details regarding the new strategic development framework and accompanying incentives.

The president confirmed that tenders for the long-awaited tech park in Pentakomo would be issued before the end of summer and emphasised plans to invest in a new building for the deputy shipping ministry to upgrade the city’s port area.

With the tech sector now contributing 14 per cent to Cyprus’ GDP, he said support for SMEs and international investors in Limassol remained a government priority.

Evel also stressed that “ongoing cooperation and open dialogue with the government are essential for Limassol’s sustainable and balanced development, so long as clear timelines and progress-tracking mechanisms are in place.”

President Christodoulides made the pledges during his visit to Limassol over the weekend, as part of a wider tour of the island’s districts.

He called Limassol “the soul of economic progress and development, shipping operations and technology companies,” praising its balance between rapid growth and cultural identity.

Moreover, the president acknowledged challenges such as high living costs, housing pressures and traffic congestion, while presenting new and ongoing projects valued at over €660 million.

The president underlined that Limassol’s development must be both economic and social, with affordable housing and social cohesion forming a core part of government policy.

As reported this week, Cyprus has launched its first affordable rental housing scheme, with construction on a €22 million development in Limassol’s Agios Nikolaos area beginning by June.

The wider project, led by Cyprus Land Development Organisation (Koag), in partnership with local authorities, includes 600 apartments across Limassol and over 400 more homes planned islandwide by the end of 2025,