A complex puzzle
The Larnaca District Organisation of Local Government (EOA) is attempting to solve an exceptionally difficult and complex puzzle related to identifying the legal owners of the 79 apartments and 10 shops in the Filanta apartment block, located near the harbour roundabout, for the purpose of addressing the building's hazardous condition.
The apartment block, which comprises five residential blocks, has repeatedly made headlines in recent times over serious issues relating to its extremely poor structural condition, as well as matters of hygiene, nuisance, illegal residence of foreign nationals, and squalid living conditions. These are issues requiring the active involvement of various services, including Larnaca Municipality, the Police, the Electromechanical Service, and the Fire Service. In essence, the building is a public health time bomb.
It should be recalled that a few weeks ago, a tragic incident occurred in which a man of African origin died after jumping from a balcony of one of the block's apartments in an attempt to evade officers from the Civil Registry and Migration Department. During the same operation, two other individuals of African origin were injured after also attempting to flee by jumping from apartment balconies.
Notices served
On the matter of the building's safety and hazardous condition, EOA Larnaca president Angelos Chatzichараlambous stated that Organisation officers served the first notices last Friday (19 June) and also posted notices on the buildings of the apartment block in question, granting owners a period of several days to proceed with measures to address the hazardous condition.
If owners fail to act, the EOA will seek the evacuation of all buildings and apartments.
It is worth noting that, based on the investigation carried out, the owners of the apartments and shops in the Filanta block number more than 90. It is therefore evident how difficult the EOA Larnaca's task is in communicating with all owners regarding the works that must be carried out to eliminate the hazard across the entire building.
"If the owners appoint an engineer and proceed with a specific plan to address the existing problem, they will be given the time to do so. Otherwise, we will proceed with the evacuation of the apartment block. If residents refuse to leave, we will proceed with a court order," warned Mr Chatzichараlambous.
Appalling conditions
The EOA Larnaca president's remarks regarding what the Organisation's officers witnessed as they went from apartment to apartment to serve the relevant notices were telling.
"We still do not know exactly how many people are living in this apartment block." Officers saw much. The residents are predominantly foreign nationals, with many families. There are apartments where 10 people are living."The hygiene conditions in the buildings are appalling and violations have accumulated," he noted.
He added that the three front buildings, which are interconnected, will be handled as a single unit, while the remaining two buildings will be dealt with separately.
Mr Chatzichараlambous also reported that in the Filanta block there are apartments without electricity, and on some floors one tenant illegally sources power from another.
In the coming days, EOA Larnaca will proceed with posting notices on other occupied buildings as well, with the aim of either addressing hazardous conditions or ordering their evacuation.
