EBE Famagusta: Discrimination and obstacles to the development of the province

The Famagusta Chamber of Commerce and Industry expresses its strong displeasure at the ongoing discriminatory negative treatment of the Free District of Famagusta.

The restrictions on the development of sustainable hotel units in the area remove the possibility of providing significant benefits for the local community and for the wider local economy as a consequence.

Besides creating barriers to the development of the free province of Famagusta, such decisions have the effect of creating disincentives to attract any future investments in the region.

The free province of Famagusta has offered the most to our country in the last 49 years, hence it is important and fair that the free province and the lives of its inhabitants develop uniformly and at the same pace as the other provinces.

The Council of Ministers recently revoked the decision of the previous government to legalize the additional floor in the first hotel complex of Sotira "SunCity Spa Resort and Residences" and at the same time decided to ask the Municipality of Sotira to return the €410.000 paid as compensation to be used for the environmental projects in the area.

With this decision and the environmental issues that have arisen on the coastal front of the Municipality of Sotiras-Liopetriou, limits are set regarding the development of the area.

It is imperative for the state, based on the particularities that prevail in Famagusta Province, 85% of which is under Turkish occupation, to provide incentives to create conditions and the appropriate infrastructure for further development and attracting investment in the province, such as urban planning incentives for the creation of special zones for the establishment of foreign and local businesses (eg the creation of a special 'Business Zone') to make the province independent of tourism.

Efforts should be made in cooperation and with the support of the State to attract new investments in other sectors as well, such as health, education, transfer of business headquarters to the region, green economy and high technology.

It is imperative to find solutions to the problems that arise regarding the development of the free province of Famagusta. The Famagusta Chamber supports the actions and will undertake initiatives aimed at the sustainable development of the free province.