Larnaca’s self-government district organisation (EOA) has completed almost 92 per cent of backlogged permit applications received from the previous authorities, while at the same time processing all new applications, which Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou hailed as “significant progress” on Friday.

Speaking at an event to present the work of the EOA since it was established in 2024, Ioannou said the next challenge of local authority reforms would be the substantive upgrading of service offered to the people.

Ioannou said the success of the reforms would be measured by how the people experienced services – how fast, how easy and how reliable they are.

The aim, he said, was for the EOAs to gradually become modern centres offering complete services without delays.

Larnaca EOA chairman Angelos Hadjicharalambous focused on water supply, sewerage and anti-flood projects.

He said water supply works aimed at a 48-hour autonomy in the event the water board cut off the supply, while sewerage projects were being promoted with a total budget of €380 million.

The EOA, he added, has already calculated anti-flood needs following recent heavy rainfall, and tenders have been launched in this direction.

He also referred to buildings listed as dangerous, saying that such buildings have already been demolished in Larnaca and Tersefanou at the expense of the owners.