Director of the Recovery and Resilience Directorate Anthoula Savvides announced that 23 out of 38 legislation needed by Cyprus had been approved, bringing the country’s legislative milestones for its Recovery and Resilience Plan to 60% completion.
During her speech at the 3rd Annual Event on the Recovery and Resilience Plan in Nicosia, Savvides provided an overview of the legislative activity. She mentioned that out of the 23 laws passed, two refer to the green transition, six to reforms in public administration and local government, three to anti-corruption measures, four to the financial and tax sectors, three to investments and licensing facilitation, and three to reforms in employment, social welfare, and education.
About 90% of the budget has been activated, according to Savvides, with 55%, or €660 million, already committed to contracts with contractors or final recipients. She went on to say that the amount paid out—approximately €280 million—far exceeds what the European Commission has received.
“This is why the results and actual implementation are not fully reflected by the submission of payment requests and their collection. What we need to ensure is that by the end of 2026, everything will be completed on time,” she stressed.
Referring to the achievement of the 282 milestones and targets of the plan, she said 68 have already been included in payment requests up to the fourth grant disbursement. An additional 34 milestones are completed and will be submitted for the next grant payments, with the fifth disbursement to be submitted by the end of this year and the sixth by mid-2025. The remaining 180 milestones are currently under implementation, with bi-monthly reports submitted to the Cabinet by the coordinating authority to ensure timely interventions when needed, she added.
In terms of payments, Savvides said that €263 million has been received so far, with an additional €152 million and €77 million expected from the second, third, and fourth grant disbursements already submitted. Two disbursements have been positively evaluated, with one milestone exception, while the fourth is under review by the European Commission.
Savvides further highlighted that through the plan, 30,000 households have received support for using renewable energy sources, including 3,300 vulnerable energy consumers. Additionally, grants were awarded to 2,600 citizens for the purchase of electric vehicles, and 70,000 households received support to upgrade their connectivity to ultra-high-speed networks.
She also noted that over 1,200 individuals will benefit annually from new, modernised healthcare facilities. Photovoltaic systems have been installed in schools, and residents in Nicosia are benefiting from flood protection projects.
Savvides emphasised that all pillars of the plan were progressing satisfactorily. In the public health and civil protection pillar, 32% of the milestones have been completed, while 28% of the green transition milestones and 46% of those related to resilience and competitiveness have been achieved. In the digital transition, 33% of the milestones have been completed, while in the employment, education, and social protection pillar, 29% have been met.
Regarding the new Repower EU chapter, 13% of the milestones have been implemented, with the establishment of a regulatory framework for energy communities underway and several grant schemes in progress.
Savvides also mentioned that a new amendment to the plan was being developed in collaboration with the European Commission to ensure its successful completion by 2026.
