A contentious debate erupted in Cyprus’s parliament as lawmakers from across the political spectrum condemned the continued allocation of €800,000 in public funds each year to rent premises for the Ministry of Defence and National Guard headquarters. The criticism, levelled during a Thursday session reviewing a recent Audit Office report, underscores long-standing frustrations over the government’s failure to provide a permanent home for the nation’s defence leadership. The focal point of the ire was the substantial annual rent for the building in Nicosia, a temporary arrangement that has persisted for years. AKEL MP Costas Costa articulated the prevailing sentiment among critics, branding the situation “unacceptable, and a waste of public moneys.” He and fellow parliamentarians argued that the recurring expenditure represents a profound fiscal inefficiency, draining state coffers for a solution that offers no long-term asset. In response, defence officials presented themselves as proactive but hamstrung by procedural delays. A representative, Panayiotis Simeou, confirmed that a site for a new, 22,000-square-metre headquarters in Lakatamia has been selected and that all necessary technical studies are complete. “We will ask for the project to be classed as a special project so it can be expedited,” he stated, shifting responsibility for the impasse to the finance ministry, which must green-light the funding. The construction is estimated to take approximately five years once approved. However, a note of scepticism was introduced by the Audit Office, casting doubt on the ministry’s timeline. Senior official Akis Kikas opined that the new building would not be ready before the expiry of the current lease, predicting that the costly rental agreement “therefore have to be extended.” This perspective suggests taxpayers may face several more years of the €800,000 annual burden. The discussion formed part of a broader examination of defence management, which also uncovered irregularities in land expropriation records and the ongoing misuse of military jeeps for transporting officers, a practice the military claims it is trying to “limit.” Furthermore, regarding the Peyia incident where a helicopter rocket pod fell into a residential area, initial investigations pointed to “human error,” with a final report expected by year’s end. The controversy highlights a critical juncture for the government. While the defence ministry seeks a special designation to accelerate the Lakatamia project, MPs remain vigilant, demanding tangible progress to end what they see as an indefensible drain on public resources. The immediate future, as forecast by the Audit Office, likely holds an expensive extension of the very lease they so vehemently oppose.