The assessment that the housing plans for the remote areas will be embraced by the people, was expressed on Wednesday afternoon by the Minister of Interior Nikos Nouris, who with officials of the Ministry, presented the plans at a meeting held at the Cultural Center of Famagusta, Deryneia .
In his statements, Mr. Nouris stated that “the Government has developed an integrated housing policy that is distinguished by five different plans. It is our belief that these plans will be embraced by the people with great interest and already the first reactions are extremely encouraging ".
He described the Government's housing policy as "extremely targeted" because, as he explained, it is generous and gives a lot of help, especially to young couples who will choose to use it. We also want to address the big problem of astyphilia that our country is facing and through this housing policy, to give the opportunity to those who, whether they want to live in their hometown, or to return to their places, to benefit ".
He added that "because many of the Communities do not have the proper infrastructure, which is a deterrent for someone to return, especially for young people, we provide an additional plan, a bonus aid, just to help people who choose to live. away from the urban centers, to reap an amount to cover the costs of his travels ”.
The Minister noted that last week the Cyprus Land Development Organization (KOAG) in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, announced an additional plan called "Affordable Rent Plan" just for people who can not afford to own a home.
With the selection of the affordable rent he continued “we give the choice, so that with the construction of a significant number of units, starting from the provinces of Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca and then throughout Cyprus, to enable people who want to acquire their own roof, with a long low rent, to do so through the specific housing plans of KOAG ".
He also stated that the specific housing policy "in addition to its social character, also has a specific goal" since, as he explained, we want to pass it on to the world and "to share, especially the representatives of local government to whom people often - densely appeals for help ”. This is the reason, he noted, that he went to Deryneia today to present the specific projects to the Communities participating in the project and beyond.
The Minister also said that the area of Solia has already been covered, while he also visited Paphos, while in Larnaca it has not been possible to complete the regional meetings due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The effort, however, continued "slowly and systematically and observing the measures of the protocol for Dehydration, to inform all those involved in the specific plans".
Asked if there is anything additional from the Ministry of Interior for the Turbines, Nikos Nouris answered that “the area of the Turbines is a special area which receives the significant help of the state. We want to support this area, because it clearly has peculiarities in relation to the other areas ", he noted.
Local government reform
Asked to state where the discussions on the issue of local government reform are, the Minister replied that "the Government wants to move the issue of reform forward quickly".
He added: "The European Commission insists and asks on the pace of implementation of the local government reform that sets the condition for the disbursement of the 978 million euro grant, through the Recovery Fund, a huge and extremely important amount for this difficult time that our homeland is passing ”.
"We have every reason to want to push for reform because we do not want to jeopardize the enormous help we so desperately need," he said.
He also referred to the fact that "the Parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs has amended the government bills with specific parameters, one of which concerned the holding of local referendums".
However, he noted that "the government disagrees with this issue for specific reasons", not as he explained "why we do not want to ask the citizens, who have the first say, but because we believe that the way in which this parameter was set posed risks for the reform itself ”.
For this reason, said the Minister of Interior, the opinion of the Attorney General of the Republic was sought, who states in his opinion that "the way in which this issue was raised cannot and is not constitutional".
He said that he proposed to the House of Representatives, after the adoption of his proposal by the Council of Ministers, "the holding of a pan-Cypriot referendum, simultaneously with the parliamentary elections, which will precede any passage of the Legislation. The proposal of the Government at the moment, is to hold a referendum all over Cyprus, understandable to the citizens, with a specific question and obviously to follow the debate with the new Parliament ".
At the same time, he expressed the hope for a vote on the reform and added that "because it is a very serious issue, we want the maximum possible consensus" and noted that in the coming days there may be developments in this issue.
It is noted that the meeting was attended by, among others, the Prefect of Famagusta, the Mayor of Deryneia, representatives of the occupied Municipality of Famagusta, the Commune Mayors of Frenaros, Vrysoullos, Acheritos, Achnas and a representative of the Community Council of Liopetri.
Source: KYPE