Could the scenario of the two Municipalities for the province of Famagusta have provoked protests, reactions, skepticism and support from some, however what were the alternative scenarios that the Ministry of Interior was seriously considering before reaching its final decision?
Scenario A ': (Deliverable): 2 Municipalities
- Municipality of Ayia Napa - Protaras
- Paralimni
- Αγία Νάπα
- Sotira
- Derynia
- Municipality of Kokkinohoria
- Acheritou
- Achna
- Avgorou
- Liopetri
- Frenaros
The scenario proposed (finally) by the Ministry of Interior is that of the two Municipalities with vertical separation of the four current Municipalities from the five communities and consisting of the "Municipality of Ayia Napa - Protaras" in the east and the "Municipality of Kokkinochoria" in the west .
Specifically:
A. Municipality of Ayia Napa, Protaras (Paralioni, Deryneia, Ayia Napa, Sotira)
• Population 29.463
• Population Density 393
• Number of Professional Premises 5.076
• Savings of 7.m Euros
B. Municipality of Kokkinochorion (Avgorou, Liopetri, Frenaros, Acheritos and Achnas)
• Population 12.839
• Population Density 105
• Number of Professional Premises 1.615
• Savings of 300.000 Euros
Alternative Scenarios
According to valid and confirmed information of Famagusta.News, both the researcher and the technocrats of the Ministry of Interior were invited to study various scenarios that could be implemented. The outcome of these scenarios was not accidental but arose from economic, social, population, cultural and other criteria so that the new formations have a smooth operation but have common quantitative and qualitative characteristics so that their savings and operation have a positive sign. .
Scenario B ': 1 Municipality
- Municipality of South Famagusta (possible name)
- Paralimni
- Αγία Νάπα
- Sotira
- Derynia
- Acheritou
- Achna
- Avgorou
- Liopetri
- Frenaros
The second scenario, according to the information examined, was that of one Municipality for the entire free province of Famagusta, which includes the four Municipalities (Ayia Napa, Paralimni, Sotira, Deryneia) as well as the five communities, Acheritou, Achna , Avgorou, Liopetri, Frenaros). It seems that this scenario did not reach the announcement of the Minister of Interior, as there are reasons for heterogeneity between the local authorities (tourist areas with rural areas). Also, the issue of distance was considered important, since for example in integrated services, there will be high costs e.g. for a garbage truck going from Cape Greco to Achna.
Scenario C: 2 Municipalities
- Municipality of Ayia Napa - Protaras
- Paralimni
- Αγία Νάπα
- Municipality of Kokkinohoria
- Sotira
- Derynia
- Acheritou
- Achna
- Avgorou
- Liopetri
- Frenaros
This particular scenario seems to have been the third in a row studied by the technocrats of the Ministry of Interior. The reason it was not approved was purely a reason for the identity of the two emerging formations. On the one hand, there is a large tourist municipality that consists of two purely tourist areas (Paralimni and Ayia Napa) but it is not considered logical to miss Sotira, which has a strong development course, and Deryneia, which is "united" with Paralimni. On the contrary, the scenario that "passed" seems to open important opportunities for tourism development for Sotira but mainly for Deryneia, which is given such an opportunity. On the other hand, this scenario would create two diametrically opposed formations with the tourist Municipality having a population of 18.175 inhabitants and the large rural Municipality with a population of 28.454 inhabitants.
The proposed scenarios were also studied
According to the same information, the scenarios were also studied, which were sent by specific decisions of specific municipal councils (Ayia Napa, Sotira, Liopetri and Deryneia), but it seems that these failed to convince the Ministry of Finance, or why not met the criteria of the budget, or because they created imbalances in socio-economic criteria.
Famagusta, the first province whose inhabitants are citizens of municipalities
In his speech on Monday 2/12, the Minister of Interior stated the following regarding the Famagusta prefecture:
“The province of Free Famagusta consists of 4 Municipalities with a total population of around 30,000 inhabitants, and 5 communities with a total population of 17,136.
In the free province of Famagusta, after the completion of the study, several local fermentations took place, often with tensions, and we spent a lot of time listening to the local community and its representatives.
The positives that have emerged from this effort are that we have managed to convince that reform is needed and that reform should include mergers.
The discussion also resulted in the demand of the villages in the area to be part of the municipalities, in order to have powers, resources and responsibilities that will give them a different perspective. Maturity sample of the local community. Unfortunately, however, the local counterclaims regarding the geographical distribution remained.
Based on the above, I consider that I have to suggest what I consider to be the most rational and structurally correct scenario.
The scenario I propose is the creation of a Municipality that will consist of the four relatively small existing municipalities in the area. That is, from Paralimni, Ayia Napa, Sotira and Deryneia. Also, based on the study, this scenario offers the most savings, of the order of 7 million Euros per year
This Scenario is what in my opinion will bring not only a strong and sustainable, homogeneous municipality but will also create a very strong development dynamic, especially tourism, in the whole region. It will also contribute substantially to the alleviation of the economic inequalities between the tourist developed Municipalities of Ayia Napa and Paralimni, in relation to Sotira and Deryneia, which is residential and connected to Paralimni.
In these areas, a new development perspective will be given due to the limited geographical area of Paralimni and Ayia Napa, which with their existing borders have a much more limited potential for sustainable development.
The merging of the four entities also ensures the formulation of a single strategy with significant synergies, without entering into issues of unfair competition between regions that are essentially geographically and developmentally united, with the same development profile and the same local plan, but whose implementation policy implementation, instead of being homogeneous and synergistic, fragmented and largely distorted.
It is characteristic of the synergies between the existing entities, it is that the Municipalities of Paralimni, Ayia Napa and Deryneia themselves demanded the creation of a single local plan. The government, recognizing the synergies for the area has met the requirement and the local plan is in the final stages of being completed. The implementation and implementation of this plan, rationally should also be implemented by a single urban development authority. Urban planning policy, as well as others between homogeneous and neighboring areas, must be done in a uniform way by a service and not inhomogeneously and potentially competitive, which can create problems of law enforcement.
The same applies to other services such as the municipal police. Should there be another municipal police for the integrated residential area with Paralimni of Deryneia while another for the two predominantly tourist areas of Protaras and Ayia Napa? The tourist will be called to be served by a single tourist police, which will be more efficient and with a wider scope of action than if it is limited to the narrow boundaries of the existing municipalities as they are today.
I also want to refer to branding. Branding is not intertwined with administrative structures but with the name of the area or attraction that the traveler is visiting. Halkidiki is not a separate municipal authority, nor the competing ipiza, which consists of 5 completely unknown municipal authorities in the world.
It is also self-evident that with the reform no region will lose its name, Neither Municipality nor Community. Engomi will remain Engomi with its own municipal district while the Castle of Kolossi will continue to be located in Kolossi.
However, recognizing the relevant sensitivities and the contribution of the tourist areas of Cyprus to tourism, I propose that this new municipality be named Municipality of Ayia Napa - Protaras which is the brand of the area.
As I mentioned in the case of Nicosia and Limassol, the great effort that was made to make a proper reform, but also the fermentation that followed at the local level, led several communities to declare by consensus and on their own, with decisions and of their own Community Councils, the intention to either become or unite into Municipalities.
Typical is the case of the villages of the Famagusta District where the communities of the area expressed their desire to unite under one administrative structure, in a New, Rural Municipality of the area, something that we had not initially studied and regardless of whether the local plans changed.
Hence the suggestion of the Ministry for the creation of a second, rural municipality in the free province of Famagusta, consisting of the Communities of Avgoros, Liopetri, Frenaros, Acheritos and Achnas, (Municipality of Kokkinochoria) with a significant population of 17,136 inhabitants, in geographical and with a similar socio-economic and development profile.
The creation of a municipality consisting of these communities will undoubtedly ensure significant additional resources for the residents of these communities, as well as the possibility of raising additional funds for development purposes.
The unification of the 5 communities will also bring about important synergies in terms of increasing the agricultural perspective, but also the possibility of significant development of the agritourism or the coastal and the tourist product.
I am convinced that these communities will benefit the most from the creation of a municipality in the area, and I congratulate them on the initiative.
From fermentations in the local community itself, other scenarios were also proposed such as the scenario of Ayia Napa - Liopetri - Sotiras which has its own logic, but a logic that concerns only the specific area and not the wider province. We looked at that too. But taking into account the prospects of the Province as a whole. The main driver of a local government reform remains the unification of areas as homogeneous as possible, with as similar a socio-economic and development profile as possible. Our proposal strengthens the concept of integrated tourism development, but also the greatest possible perspective of the communities in a really strong agritourism municipality.
Finally, my proposal for Free Famagusta is to merge the 9 entities (4 Municipalities and 5 Communities) into two New Municipalities. The inhabitants of the Municipal Areas increase by 17,136 people or 58% and the free province of Famagusta becomes the first province of Cyprus where all the inhabitants are citizens of Municipalities. ”
Famagusta.News