Limassol’s municipal council has approved its 2026 budget unanimously, following four consecutive meetings during which councillors submitted and debated hundreds of proposals. The only point of contention was municipal taxation for the coming year.
The budget is surplus by seven million euros and projects total revenue of 74.3 million euros against expenditure of 67.05 million euros. A major component remains the municipality’s substantial annual contribution to its pension fund, which this year amounts to four million euros.
According to the budget, 2026 will be a year of project preparation rather than execution, as no major studies are currently mature enough to move into implementation. The development-planning allocation rises sharply to four million euros, compared with 800,000 euros in 2025 and just 300,000 euros in 2024.
Roads, pavements and expropriations
The municipality has set aside significantly higher amounts for road repairs and new pavements across Limassol. Asphalt works will receive seven million euros in 2026, up from 4.3 million euros this year and 1.6 million euros in 2024. The pavements budget rises to 5.5 million euros, an increase of two million compared with 2025, and more than double the 2.6 million euros allocated in 2024.
The municipality will also invest heavily in renewing its vehicle fleet, doubling the allocation to four million euros. Only 400,000 euros had been available for this purpose in 2024.
A major new allocation of 6.1 million euros is earmarked for land expropriations to enable the creation of new parking areas and other infrastructure. In the previous two years, this figure had been just 240,000 euros annually.
The Christmas decorations budget will also rise significantly, from roughly 370,000 euros to 500,000 euros, an increase of 62 percent.
Dispute over municipal taxation
The sharpest disagreement during budget discussions concerned municipal taxes for 2026. The dispute focused on refuse fees, which will now vary depending on the size of each property.
DISY, DIKO, ELAM, half of DIPA and the deputy mayor of Mesa Geitonia opposed any increase, while the mayor, the deputy mayors of Limassol and Tserkez Tsifliki, along with AKEL, EDEK, the Greens, the Hunters’ movement and part of DIPA supported the new structure. The vote was tied, allowing the mayor’s casting vote to break the deadlock.
Under the revised pricing, owners of properties up to 130 square metres will not see increases. Larger properties will face higher charges. There will also be a three percent increase in refuse fees for commercial premises, the professional tax and the licence fee for operating business establishments.
The immovable property tax rate rises from 0.24 percent to 0.264 percent.
Limassol 2030 remains active
The council also voted by a large majority to maintain a budget of 300,000 euros for the Limassol 2030 initiative. Although the organisation originally created for the European Capital of Culture bid has completed its mandate, councillors agreed that the work undertaken so far should be preserved and re-framed. Decisions on how the funds will be managed, and by whom, will be taken at a later stage.