The relations between the municipalities of Ayia Napa and Paralimni with the Council for the Exploitation of Landfills or Utilization of Domestic Waste of the Larnaca-Famagusta Provinces are being taken to extremes. The efforts made by the Minister of Agriculture in order to normalize the situation that has been created seem to fall into the void, since his proposal was not accepted by all parties. The Exploitation Council in a letter to the contractor of OEDA Kosi requests the ban on entry to the Kosi Unit in garbage trucks coming from the Municipal Waste Municipalities - Larnaca - Famagusta from October 2, 2019.
For reasons of public health, the contractor of OEDA does not have the right to refuse entry to the Garbage Truck Unit. However, the Operating Council, in an effort to implement the decision it has taken, is determined to be on the spot at the Unit next Monday, so as not to allow garbage trucks to enter. At the same time, the Exploitation Council appeals to the Municipalities of Ayia Napa and Paralimni to repay their debts. At a recent meeting, it decided to ban the entry of garbage trucks from the two municipalities, if by September 30, 2019 they do not pay their debts to the Council or do not come to a settlement.
Speaking to "Phileleftheros", the mayor of Ayia Napa, Giannis Karousos, stated that no one has the right to prevent the municipalities from transporting household waste to the unit for public health reasons. In case, he said, the movement of garbage trucks is not allowed, then instructions will be given to empty the garbage outside the Kosi Unit.
The problem has existed for about two years, after the financial disputes that arose during the signing of the supplementary agreement with the contractor of OEDA Kosi, where the state undertook to repay the debts of the Operating Council to the contractor until 30/11/2019 . The agreement paid the amount of € 17,5 million from the state and no claim or deduction from the contractor amounting to € 11,6 million. The Board of Directors, considering that it operates on a meritocratic basis and promotes equal treatment of all the Local Authorities it represents, distributed the amount of repayment given by the state to the contractor through credit notes, thus maintaining the debts of the Local Authorities that did not pay. and before 30/11/2017.
On the basis of this decision, the Council maintains that the Municipality of Paralimni and the Municipality of Ayia Napa still owe him significant sums. Position, however, with which the two municipalities disagree, as they consider that with the repayment of the debts by the state it paid off their previous debts and therefore they do not pay any debts that had been created. The Municipalities of Ayia Napa and Paralimni have filed an appeal with the Administrative Court, in relation to the decision of the Council.
In his mediation effort, the Minister of Agriculture called on both parties to wait and be respected by all parties for the decision to be taken by the Court. Regarding the debts from 1/12/2019 onwards, the municipalities are required to pay what they owe to the Operating Council.
"Block" from the Kosi Foundry to the garbage trucks of Paralimni and Ayia Napa
An appeal to the Municipalities of Ayia Napa and Paralimni to repay their debts, is addressed by the Larnaca and Famagusta Municipal Waste Disposal Utilization Council.
A written announcement of the Council states that in a recent meeting it decided to ban the entry of garbage trucks coming from the Municipalities of Ayia Napa and Paralimni to the unit of Kosi, “if by September 30, 2019, the specific Municipalities do not pay their debts to the Council or do not come to an agreement with the Council for the repayment of their debts, as they have already been informed some time ago ".
Unfortunately, the announcement of the Council concludes, "despite the letters and the meetings with the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment but also the Municipalities of Paralimni and Ayia Napa, the problem remains and is growing".
Source: Liberal