Geneva: Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou engaged in bilateral meetings on housing policy issues in Geneva, coinciding with the UNECE Ministerial meeting focused on housing affordability and sustainability.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Ioannou held discussions with UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean and Slovenia’s Minister of Solidarity-Based Future, Simon Maljevac, as stated in a press release by the Ministry.
During the meeting with Molcean, discussions centered on enhancing cooperation between Cyprus and UNECE on housing policy, particularly in preparation for Cyprus’s Presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2026. Ioannou emphasized the government’s priorities, aiming to increase the housing stock at both national and European levels. He also highlighted an initiative introduced during a High-Level Conference on Affordable Housing under the Danish Presidency, involving a special tax regime to support affordable housing programs.
Molcean underscored the importance of developing a unified platform for common policy and best practices, aiding in the coordination and tackling of challenges in affordable and social housing. Proposed solutions, she noted, should incorporate resilience, sustainability, and consider environmental and energy factors.
In discussions with Maljevac, the focus was on boosting European funding for affordable housing programs, integral to the developing European Plan for Affordable Housing. Both ministers concurred on the plan serving as a foundation for a European housing strategy, with policies tailored to the specific needs of Member States. Ioannou invited Maljevac to participate in an Informal Ministerial Meeting in Cyprus in May 2026, where the roadmap for integrating affordable housing into the Cohesion Policy 2028-2035 will be established.
The ministers exchanged views on national practices for managing housing issues, discussing shared challenges such as AirBnBs and rising investment interest in real estate. Maljevac shared details of Slovenia’s new incentive program aimed at bolstering the affordable rental market and commended Cyprus’s efforts, through the Cyprus Land Development Corporation, to expand affordable housing for socio-economically vulnerable groups.