Works to upgrade the “Andreas Papandreou” air base, in Pafos may be completed within a year or a year and a half, while the naval base in Mari will be upgraded gradually, with the Ministry of Defence hoping to complete works around 2027, the competent Minister, Vasilis Palmas, told CNA on Tuesday.
Asked by CNA if there is a timeline for the launch and completion of works, the Defence Minister replied that as far as the upgrade of the air base is concerned, the timeline is shorter than that for the upgrade and reconstruction of the naval base in Mari, since “one is a smaller project than the other.”
Asked what improvements and upgrades are planned for each base, the Defence Minister replied that as far as the “Andreas Papandreou” Air Base is concerned, the first thing to be done is its expansion and the improvement in some buildings and other infrastructure.
He added that as far as the naval base is concerned, it will be a complete upgrade according to international procedures. He added that in both cases there are relevant experts and technicians who will indicate how and what should be done.
Asked whether there is an estimate concerning the cost of works in both bases, the Defence Minister said that as far as the air base is concerned, the cost is not particularly high and is estimated between 10 and 14 million euros, depending on the outcome of the recommendations and proposals that will be made.
As for the naval base, he continued, it is a large project which will be gradually funded, noting that efforts are also being made through the EU to obtain some funding. “It will be a project that can exceed 200 million euros,” Palmas noted.
Asked about the role of the Americans in this process, Palmas explained that as far as the air base is concerned, it is a fact that the Americans are interested in providing their expertise and experience on how to improve conditions in this particular air base.
“Of course when these projects are complete or when they will be able to be used in a more upgraded way than the current one, our partners will be able, after permission of course from the Republic of Cyprus, to be able to use them,” Palmas said, underlining that the bases belong to the Republic of Cyprus.
He also stressed that partners will be able to use the bases depending on the situation “and always, of course, within the framework of a humanitarian and peacekeeping mission.”
Asked whether the upgrading of the bases will contribute to the strengthening of the role of the Republic of Cyprus as a pillar of stability and credibility in the Eastern Mediterranean, Palmas replied “absolutely, in the sense that with this unstable situation that prevails in our region lately, the upgraded role of Cyprus is obvious.” He indicated that this infrastructure and these projects will enable Cyprus to upgrade its role even further.
