The Finance Ministry has asked Parliament to release €595,000 for the purchase of a new armoured limousine for the Presidency of the Republic.
In a letter to Parliament dated 24 August 2026 and classified as “confidential”, the ministry said the vehicle would feature the latest security and technology systems.
The new limousine will be used for President Nikos Christodoulides’ official movements, as well as for transporting visiting heads of state to Cyprus.
The decision to purchase the vehicle was taken by the Ministry of Transport’s Electromechanical Services Department, while funding for the purchase was approved by the Cabinet on 16 July 2026.
Security specifications classified
The Finance Ministry’s letter was circulated to members of Parliament’s Finance Committee ahead of a closed meeting scheduled for Monday to consider the request.
It states that the vehicle’s technical specifications include confidential requirements relating to security features, including its level of armour, which should not be disclosed.
For this reason, the government has decided against an open public tender. Instead, a closed procedure will be used, with selected vehicle dealerships in Cyprus invited to submit offers for an armoured vehicle.
The same procedure was used to purchase previous armoured presidential limousines.
Current presidential car bought in 2019
The vehicle currently used by President Christodoulides is also armoured. It is the top-of-the-range BMW 760 Li, purchased in 2019 under the administration of former president Nicos Anastasiades for €258,000 plus VAT.
Parliamentary records previously submitted as part of parliamentary scrutiny show that the vehicle replaced the armoured limousine used by former president Demetris Christofias.
That vehicle was a Mercedes S-Class, purchased in 2010 for €291,000 plus VAT.
Same armour certification as EU summit vehicles
The new presidential limousine is expected to carry the same armour certification as the 12 limousines leased by the Republic of Cyprus for the informal EU leaders’ summit held in April.
The summit took place on 23 and 24 April at Ayia Napa Marina and the Filoxenia Conference Centre in Nicosia.
The vehicles used for the summit featured bullet-resistant glass, reinforced chassis and armour protection for the doors, pillars, roof, floor, engine compartment and fuel tank.
The 12 armoured BMW limousines were selected through a closed procedure because their specifications were considered confidential, given that they were intended for the transportation of heads of state and senior European Commission officials.
The Electromechanical Services Department sought offers from three vehicle dealerships in Cyprus — BMW, Mercedes and Audi — for the 10-day rental of 12 armoured limousines.
The contract was awarded to BMW for a total of €140,000, equivalent to approximately €1,166 per vehicle per day. The Republic of Cyprus sought reimbursement of the expenditure from the EU budget.
Fleet for state officials renewed
The government also renewed its fleet of official vehicles for state officials in June 2025.
For the first time, officials were provided with smaller-engine vehicles that were also more environmentally friendly, as the new cars were electric.
Following a public tender launched by the Electromechanical Services Department, 24 Hyundai Ioniq 6 saloon cars were purchased from CTC Automotive Ltd for €1,224,159.
Who is entitled to a state limousine?
Legislation restricting access to state limousines on a 24-hour basis came into force on 1 January 2016, with the aim of reducing the significant annual cost associated with their use by public officials.
Before the changes, officials with access to state limousines could use them around the clock, with fuel, maintenance and even cleaning costs covered by the state.
Under the legislation, exclusive 24-hour use of a state limousine was limited to 34 officials.
These include the President of the Republic, the President of Parliament, the President of the Supreme Court, the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General, the Auditor General, eligible former presidents of the Republic and Parliament, ministers, deputy ministers, the government spokesman, the Chief of Police, the Chief of the National Guard, the head of the Cyprus Intelligence Service and the President’s spouse.
Other officials, including commissioners, permanent secretaries of ministries, deputy ministries and Parliament, and the heads of the Public Service Commission and Educational Service Commission, are entitled to use state limousines only for official purposes.
The legislation specifically states that travelling from an official’s place of residence to their place of work does not constitute official travel and therefore does not fall within the purposes for which a state limousine may be used.
