Cyprus possesses the most overcrowded prison system in the European Union, with an occupancy rate of 227.6 per cent, significantly higher than Slovenia's 134.2 per cent and France's 129.3 per cent. This indicates that Cypriot prisons are holding more than double their intended capacity. Justice Minister Costas Fitiris acknowledged the overcrowding and the government's search for solutions, including a proposed new prison near Mathiatis, which faces local opposition and a potential four-year construction timeline. The Council of Europe has previously warned of serious issues at the existing Nicosia prison, citing high inter-prisoner violence, a chronic shortage of officers, poor living conditions, inadequate sanitary facilities, and unsuitable, unhygienic conditions for incarcerated children and young adults, with some minors sleeping on the floor in dilapidated cells.