The budget of the Municipality of Ayia Napa foresees a surplus of € 3,6 million for 2019, according to the Mayor Giannis Karousos, who expressed the view that the financial viability of each Municipality should be taken into account in the reform of the Local Government.
As Mayor Giannis Karousos stated in KYPE, "the numbers of the Municipality's budget for 2019 clearly show the development course of Ayia Napa. Recently, the Municipal Council unanimously voted the budget of the Municipality for 2019, which provides revenues of 19,2 million euros and expenditures of 15,6 million, forecasting a surplus of 3.6 million.
He added that "the budget is considered to be the highest ever Ayia Napa has, it is developmental and includes projects in excess of 30 million euros for the three years 2019-2021".
Answering a relevant question, Mr. Karousos said that "within 2019, bids will be announced for the Outdoor Amphitheater - Cultural Center, amounting to € 3,6 million, the 2nd Part of the A and B Phase of the coastal front with a budget of € 4,6 million , the Environmental Theme Park in the area of SPE, amounting to € 2,2 million, the renovation of the urban center and especially Tefkrou Anthia, Giannaki Pappouli, Dionysiou Solomou, Belogianni and Agia Mavri streets with a budget of € 6,5 million the transformation of the Medieval Monastery into a Museum worth € 1,3 million ".
He noted that "for the second year, the institution of the participatory budget continues, which had excellent results, with the citizens proposing projects and participating in the selection process for their implementation".
The Mayor of Ayia Napa also said that "in recent years we have increased the revenues of the Municipality from € 10 million in 2012, to € 18 million for 2018 and we estimate to increase them even further to € 19,2 million in 2019".
He explained that "compared to 2017 we have significantly increased Ayia Napa revenues from € 15,7 million to € 18 million in 2018. Deficits also turned into surpluses reaching € 3 million for 2018 and we estimate an increase to € 3,6 , 2019 million for XNUMX "he said. He added that this was achieved "without the imposition or increase of any taxes, on the contrary we even reduced taxes".
He noted that "the surpluses will be used for the contribution of the Municipality to major development projects, expropriations and the land market" and added that "the revenues and total finances of Ayia Napa exceed or are at the level of economically large urban municipalities, which are one of the highest in Cyprus ".
He continued "it is also a factor that should be taken into account in the reform of Local Government, since it is clear that Ayia Napa does not need to be merged with any other Municipality."
"We demand that the finances and financial viability of each Municipality be taken into account in the reform of Local Government", he noted.
Asked about this, the Mayor of Ayia Napa answered that "finances should be taken into account, in the representation of Municipalities in Organizations or Councils that will be created provincially, such as water supply and sewerage. Also, the representation should be proportional to the population, based on the registered voters of each Municipality, since otherwise, we risk seeing Councils in which Municipalities, such as Ayia Napa, contribute up to 40% of the budget but are represented with only 5% of their members ".
He added that "the Municipality of Ayia Napa with 280 employees and workers, with 40 thousand tourist beds, 5 million tourist overnight stays and 15 thousand tons of waste, is a sustainable Municipality with 60 thousand active population which can still survive without the slightest state sponsorship ".
Famagusta.News