The majority of compensation claims following the destructive fire in the Limassol mountains have been examined, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said on Thursday.
Speaking after a meeting in Pachna with community leaders from affected villages, Ioannou confirmed that officials are on track with the timetable for handling the claims.
A total of 699 applications were submitted on time, with 540 of them already reviewed. These cases have either been compensated, informed about signing acceptance statements for the estimated damage costs, or found to be covered by insurance. Another 144 late applications have also been filed, which will begin to be examined next week.
The minister said the meeting aimed to assess progress on the measures announced after the fire. He said that there were no significant problems or complaints, though some local issues had been raised and would be discussed with the district officer to find solutions.
Ioannou stressed that the process of reviewing the remaining claims is moving forward daily. He said the ministry’s target for a fast examination has been met, as the bulk of applications are already completed.
On fire prevention, the minister pointed out that the cabinet has allocated €1 million to communities and community clusters near forests to carry out land clearing.
After the Limassol fire, all mountain communities across Cyprus were asked to send cost estimates for creating 200-metre fire protection zones around their areas.
Ioannou gave assurances that if some work is not completed this season, the funding will remain available for the next period.
Asked about concerns from citizens over insurance payments, the minister explained that as long as policyholders pay their contributions, insurance companies are required to cover damages. He acknowledged, however, that some claims involve disputes, as insurers’ estimates of damage are lower than owners expect.
To address this, property owners can seek assessments from private evaluators, in addition to those made by the Cyprus scientific and technical chamber (Etek). If disagreements persist, they can file appeals with the review committee, which will examine the cases.
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