A "Project Note" is expected from the Famagusta Water Authority for the installation of smart water meters, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment states in a statement, explaining what has preceded and noting that "at this stage, the response of the Famagusta Water Authority is expected."
The Ministry of Agriculture states that "the statements made by the President of the Famagusta Regional Water Authority, Yannis Karousos, in a radio broadcast regarding the installation of smart water meters do not correspond to reality", on the occasion of which it issued the relevant announcement.
In a letter to the President of the Famagusta Regional Development Authority, on November 5, 2024, the Minister of Agriculture stated - according to the announcement - that in 2020, in the context of the preparation of the Cohesion Policy Program "THALEIA2021-2027", the former Water Supply Councils (Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca) submitted a proposal for funding the installation of smart water meters, as well as other relevant measures to improve water supply in the territory of their province.
In her letter, she also noted that during the same period, proposals for funding the installation of smart water meters from the "THALYA2021-2027" Program were also submitted by the Municipalities of Paphos, Paralimni and Ayia Napa (in the districts of Paphos and Famagusta there were no Water Supply Councils and this role was played by the local authorities).
Furthermore, he stated that "until 2022, the Municipalities of Ayia Napa and Paralimni did not proceed with the maturation of these projects and therefore the General Directorate of Development proceeded with other arrangements to promote other projects, in order to fill the gap.
The Ministry of Agriculture clarifies that with the implementation of the reform and the assumption of water supply issues by the Famagusta District Local Government Organization in July 2024, the General Directorate of Development was informed by the President of the Famagusta District Local Government Organization about the need to install water meters in the Famagusta District with a total budget of €8,1 million, noting that the General Directorate of Development began investigating the financing of the project within the framework of an amendment to the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), but due to the very tight time frames required for the completion of the projects in the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) (July 2026), the need to evaluate other sources of European funding became apparent.
According to the competent Ministry, on December 2, 2024, the Famagusta EDA sent information about the project in question to the DG for Development and during the evaluation of the project, the DG for Development identified that the project in question does not have an approved "Project Note", as required by the Fiscal Responsibility and Fiscal Framework Law for the conduct of the pre-selection process for public investment projects and verbally informed the Famagusta EDA of its obligation in question.
He notes that on January 13, 2025, the Development DG also informed the Famagusta Regional Development Authority in writing about the issue of the "Project Note", since there was no response from the Regional Development Authority.
"At this stage, the response of the Famagusta Regional Development Authority is awaited," the Ministry of Agriculture emphasizes.
In the meantime, he adds that "appropriate explanations were also given in a private meeting between the Minister of Agriculture and Mr. Karousos on November 25, 2024, during which he admitted that the causes of the non-maturation of the projects should be sought in the local authorities of the region he presides over and not in the state services."
Source: KYPE