The number of Greek Cypriots that are still deprived of their homes, 52 years since they were forcibly uprooted during the Turkish invasion in July-August 1974, stands at 247,552 today, according to 2025 data from the Population Archive of the Ministry of Interior.
Four generations of displaced Cypriots have been counting their sorrows for 52 years, struggling to heal wounds, and trying to create a framework of normalcy to raise their families in a state of prolonged waiting, while simultaneously clinging onto memories with the hope of return.
Refugee housing settlements have been the backdrop of this ongoing tragedy, since the overwhelming majority of the displaced Greek Cypriots were temporarily housed there and ended up staying for decades. According to the Ministry of Interior, the displaced have been housed in 69 government settlements across Cyprus, built after 1974.
These temporary conditions have obtained a sense of permanency for a large part of the first generation of displaced Greek Cypriots, who passed away, while still waiting for the day of the return to their homeland.
With the passage of 52 years, and entire generations being born and raised within the settlements, bearing the unshakeable weight of displacement, time leaves its mark. Beyond the aging of buildings, there seems to be a change in the demographic composition of the 69 settlements, too.
According to the Ministry of Interior, given that we are now in the fourth generation of refugees, it is unclear how many of the displaced, from the first to the fourth generation, still reside in the refugee settlements. The Ministry, which is unable to know either the exact demographic composition of the settlements or the average number of residents, notes that many of the displaced may be renting their apartments, others may have sold them, some of the original beneficiaries may still live there alone, and others may live there with family members.
A significant factor in this development has been the regulation for granting property titles to displaced persons for residences in government settlements and self-housing settlements, from 2006 onwards. Until then, the displaced lived in settlements under a regime of use or lease grants.
For the tens of thousands of families who suddenly found themselves without shelter, without support or guarantees, the right to ownership of these temporary residences has been a last refuge, after more than 30 years since their uprooting.
Living with temporary solutions, 52 years later…
In recent years, maintaining and safeguarding the suitability of residences in the settlements has been a primary issue of concern, mainly for the residents themselves, and for the State institutions as well.
According to the Ministry of Interior, upgrades and/or repairs have been conducted through the scheme for “Reconstruction, Repair/Strengthening and Radical Improvement of Buildings in Eight Government Settlements,” which was implemented after 2000 in eight Government Settlements (Pano Lakatamia, Strovolos II, Agios Pavlos and Agios Mamas in Nicosia, Agioi Anargyroi I in Larnaca, and Agios Athanasios, Makarios III, and Linopetra in Limassol). These eight housing settlements were built first and, therefore, faced the most problems.
As part of this scheme, the construction of 47 apartment buildings and 187 houses has been completed so far, as well as the repair/radical strengthening of 50 apartment buildings and 2,200 houses. The Ministry notes that this scheme is still in progress.
An Elevator Installation Scheme in existing apartment buildings of the Government Settlements for Displaced Persons involved the installation of elevators in 368 existing apartment buildings nationwide. To date, the installation of elevators has been completed in 124 existing apartment buildings. It is noted that there are 202 elevators installed (124 in existing apartment buildings and 78 in new apartment buildings) in government settlements nationwide.
This scheme has been terminated, as it has been incorporated into the latest scheme that grants beneficiaries pound 90,000 per apartment building since 2023.
The grant scheme is being implemented in three phases, based on the degree of risk for each of the 358 apartment buildings in refugee settlements nationwide.
The first phase involves 43 apartment buildings deemed unsuitable and dangerous, which are under evacuation and demolition in order to be replaced with new ones. The second phase concerns 70 apartment buildings that need repair, with a state grant of up to pound 300,000 (plus pound 90,000 for elevator installation). The third phase involves 245 apartment buildings with less urgent issues, which are being repaired with a state grant of pound 300,000 (plus pound 90,000 for elevator installation).
According to the Ministry of Interior, the first two apartment buildings in the Apostolos Andreas settlement in Latsia and Kokkines in Strovolos are expected to be delivered in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, construction is underway for another six apartment buildings in Nicosia and Limassol, while the construction of two more in Limassol and Larnaca will begin this coming fall.
At the same time, the start of the second and third phases of the scheme has been expedited. So far, the Ministry notes, there is interest from 26 apartment buildings in the second phase and 30 in the third phase. General Maintenance Contracts for refugee settlements in the districts of Nicosia, Larnaca-Free Famagusta, and Limassol-Paphos, through which repair/maintenance work is carried out on residential units to ensure the safety and health of the eligible refugees residing in them, are also conducted by the Ministry’s departments.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.