Evantia Tsolaki assumed office as Minister of Transport, Communications and Works on Thursday morning, taking over the portfolio from Alexis Vafeades during the handover ceremony held at the Ministry. The outgoing Minister said he was leaving office with a deep sense of gratitude, while Tsolaki described her new responsibilities as ‘a very heavy burden’, noting that her predecessor had ‘set the bar very high.’
‘I leave the Ministry today with a deep sense of gratitude. Gratitude, first and foremost, for the trust the President placed in me to serve the country through this highly demanding portfolio,’ outgoing Minister Alexis Vafeades said.
‘I am also grateful because I had outstanding officials by my side who supported this entire effort, and I am confident they will continue supporting the Ministry’s work so that we can continue serving the public,’ he added.
‘I am grateful because the portfolio is now being entrusted to a worthy person, a Minister who knows the issues well and is fully committed to moving forward and working hard, with integrity and dedication, to complete all the projects we have launched,’ Vafeades said.
‘The tearful eyes of the Ministry’s officials reveal that a special bond has developed between the Minister and the staff – a relationship built on trust, mutual respect and mutual appreciation,’ newly appointed Minister of Transport, Communications and Works Evantia Tsolaki said.
‘That relationship is the key to the successful tenure of any Minister. Mr Vafeades has offered a great deal to the Ministry of Transport, and I congratulate him on the work he leaves behind,’ she added.
‘I also congratulate him on the way he managed the Ministry’s affairs. I am taking over a very heavy burden. He has set the bar extremely high,’ Tsolaki said.
‘I am taking over from him with the understanding that I must continue in the same spirit. We must complete all the projects currently under way and set our priorities,’ the new Minister said.
She added that she had already received an initial briefing from the heads of the Ministry’s departments.
‘We are rolling up our sleeves as of today and, together with the heads of departments and the Ministry’s officials, we will continue the work the Minister is handing over to us,’ she concluded.
Asked whether he was leaving the Ministry with a sense of bitterness following references to his possible responsibilities in the Takata airbag case, Vafeades reiterated that he was leaving office ‘with a deep sense of gratitude.’
Regarding the Takata airbags issue, he said ‘an inquiry committee has determined where responsibility lies,’ urging anyone interested in the issue to consult its report ‘to see where political responsibility is attributed and where it is not.’
He added that the matter remains under review, noting that the Department of Road Transport has launched a public consultation on ‘two very important bills’ which, he said, ‘put the relevant procedure in order.’
‘The Department of Road Transport’s effort puts in order a procedure that has deviated from the lawful process for more than 15 years. We have therefore put the matter on the right track, and we believe that once Parliament discusses the bills, everything will fall into place and the issues will be clarified,’ he said.
Vafeades also expressed hope that projects supporting rural communities would move forward, referring to projects that ‘will provide rapid access to healthcare services, education and employment.’
Asked about her priorities in tackling traffic congestion in Limassol and elsewhere, Tsolaki said that ‘a number of projects are already under way. A meeting had also taken place between the Minister and the Municipality of Limassol regarding the northern bypass. Other projects are also under way.’
‘Our goal is to ease traffic congestion and find solutions towards that end,’ she concluded.
CNA/LS/MK/2026S, CYPRUS NEWS AGENCY