The issue of plans for the reform of local government was mentioned today in a post by the Mayor of Paralimni, Theodoros Pyrillis, who pointed out the significant benefits from the unification of the Municipalities of free Famagusta into a single Municipality.
Read the statement of the Mayor of Paralimni as it is:
"THE STRENGTH IN UNITY"
"The reform of Local Government will create Municipalities with many new responsibilities that will result in the improvement and increase of services provided to citizens. As the Municipality of Paralimni, we took a position regarding the mergers by supporting the scenario of merging all four Municipalities (Paralimni, Ayia Napa, Deryneia, Sotira) into one Municipality, fully respecting the sensitivities of each Municipality separately for the following reasons:
(a) The savings in this scenario amount to € 7 million each year compared to any other scenario where the savings are LESS THAN HALF. This will result in the execution of new projects and infrastructure and the reduction of taxes in all Municipalities which will be drastic. Also, all households will be significantly relieved. All studies favor this scenario as ideal for the free countryside.
(b) With this no Municipality will have a majority within the Municipal Council so no one will be able to claim that it was rejected by anyone. In any other scenario, anyone who joins Paralimni will justifiably feel rejected.
(c) The synergies and team efforts that have taken place over the last seven years have brought tremendous results to all of us. They have shown that together we can achieve much more that will ensure the future of our children.
(d) The communities of Liopetri, Avgoros, Achnas, Frenaros and Acheritos will be given the opportunity to become a new Municipality as they wish and to receive twenty times more state sponsorship than they would receive and with their savings to give new life to their development. Of course, if the communities choose to come together we are welcome and it would probably be the best case scenario.
(e) The fifth urban Municipality of Cyprus will be created and we will finally be treated worthy of our offer to the economy of our country.
(f) With the liberation of our Diocese, the reign of Famagusta, to join together (the new Municipality) in the Municipality of Famagusta, to create the largest (financially) Municipality of Cyprus, of which we will all be Citizens.
Paralimni does not want to absorb anyone. He sees the huge prospects that are being created for the whole province. All the Municipalities that will be merged will continue to have their own local and separate status, their own deputy mayor who will be directly elected by the Citizens, their own Municipal Councilors and their own budgets.
I understand and share everyone's concerns.
We choose to fight for the interests of all.
We choose to see the Forest and not the tree.
We choose to turn our neighborhoods into an urban municipality equal to those of Paphos and Larnaca.
For the last seven years we have proved that "ALL TOGETHER WE CAN BETTER"
