The laying of the foundation stone of the Famagusta Police Directorate in Paralimni was done this morning by the President of the Republic, Nikos Anastasiadis.
The inauguration ceremony took place at 10:30 in the morning in the building of the new and first privately owned Famagusta Police Department in Paralimni.
The project is part of President Anastasiadis' announcements and is expected to be completed in July 2018.
In a special ceremony in Paralimni, which was attended by the Minister of Justice Ionas Nikolaou, the start of the construction works was announced, the cost of which amounts to € 1.626.643. The completion of the project is estimated in July 2018.
In his speech, the President of the Republic stated that crime has decreased by 30% in recent years, which is indicative of the effectiveness of actions and adequate training and administration of the Police and congratulated both the Chief and the leadership on the specific results. Power.
Regarding the new building, President Anastasiadis said that "it is being erected on a plot that was handed over to the Police in 1984. Since then, many efforts were made to build the building, but in 2016 we managed to overcome the problems and promote it", he said, noting that " today we are proceeding with the laying of the foundation stone of a project which will cost 5,5 million euros ".
He added that "by upgrading the level of members of the Police and increasing our demands, we are changing the salary scale from A3-5-7 to A5-7, so that the police officers are rewarded with what they really deserve. "We have also drastically increased the number of companies for the purpose of preventing and dealing with crime, which is also a policy of the Government, and we have strengthened the first line of action despite the fact that the power needs of personnel are still lagging behind the real needs of policing." .
In his greeting, the President of the Republic also referred to the institution of Community Policing, as a measure of social intervention, which, as he said, "from the first moment we set our priorities". He noted that “in 2012 we had 4,000 registered Neighborhood Observers in three Municipalities / Communities. "Today we have 90 thousand registered Observers in 285 Municipalities and Communities", he said.
"We have decided to create an Administrative Court of International Protection, which will hear appeals from asylum seekers. The relevant bill will be submitted to the Parliament soon, while in the final stage of elaboration of the legislative control is a bill that provides for the establishment of a Commercial Court in Limassol, which will speed up the process of civil cases. I place special emphasis on the implementation of the so-called e-justice, which contributes significantly to the acceleration of court proceedings ".
The event was preceded by a holy communion by the Metropolitan of Constantia-Famagusta, Vassilios and greetings from the Mayor of Paralimni, Theodoros Pyrillis and the Chief of Police, Zacharias Chrysostomou.
See the photo report recorded by Famagusta.News camera
Greeting of the President of the Republic at the laying of the foundation stone of the Paralimni Police Directorate
Laying the foundation stone today for the building that will host the Police Directorate and the Paralimni Police Station, I feel that we are doing nothing but contribute to the foundation in an even stronger way of the citizens' sense of security.
Because this is ultimately our major goal when we strengthen the infrastructure for the police force and its personnel.
Those who are aware of the situation at the Famagusta Police Department will be able to recognize that the existing infrastructure does not allow the Police to use its real potential as the various Services are scattered in rented buildings in Paralimni - which were erected to be used as shops for which we pay as an annual rent an amount of over 81 thousand euros.
With the new infrastructure everything changes.
The new building of the Famagusta Police Department, which will house all its Services, is being erected on a plot that was given to the Police in 1984. Since then, many efforts have been made to build the building, but in 2016 we managed to overcome the problems and promote it. proceeding today to lay the foundation stone of a project, but observing the projects and infrastructure in an unfinished and under construction project that really from the creativity of the projects shows how much emphasis we had given and that in order to be able to perform one needs the appropriate working environment which will cost 5,5 million euros.
The end result will be a modern building of the Police Directorate, which was designed with the best service of the public and the maximum efficiency of the staff in the function it performs, in a pleasant and safe environment for everyone.
I am sure that with the best working conditions we provide for the staff of the management and the police station we will facilitate even more the work entrusted to our Police, taking into account that the province has 80 thousand inhabitants but during the summer the population multiplies. reaching 1.5 million, something that requires coordination of the Services and modern buildings to accommodate the competent Services.
The project we are launching today is one of the many and important projects for the upgrading of the infrastructure of the Police Directorates, the court buildings and the penitentiary institutions that, with planning and proper management, are either in progress or implemented, such as:
• Three new Court buildings (Paphos, Famagusta, Family Court).
• Three new buildings for Paphos, Famagusta and Morphou Police Directorates.
• Fourteen projects in Prisons, including three new wards.
• Improvement projects in all police detention centers, thus improving the level of protection of human rights.
• The procedures for the construction of the new District Court of Nicosia are in progress.
Building infrastructure is just one part of our program to improve security in our place and deliver faster and better justice.
As far as the Police are concerned, I am particularly pleased to find that the plans to strengthen the House with new executives are progressing rapidly and, most importantly, effectively.
Only recently, 210 police officers and 40 firefighters were hired after examinations and with absolute meritocracy, while the promotions were also made with absolute respect for the spirit and the letter of the law.
By upgrading the level of the members of the Police and increasing our requirements, we also change the salary scale from A3-5-7 to A5-7 so that the Police officers are rewarded with what they are really entitled to.
We have also drastically increased the number of operations for crime prevention and response - which is also reflected in a Government policy - and have strengthened the first line of action despite the fact that the force needs personnel are still lagging behind the actual policing needs.
We now use smart policing methods, adopting modern management methods and bringing about changes in the risk assessment base. That is why I feel the need to congratulate the Commander and the leadership of the Force for the vertical reduction of crime by 30% in recent years, which is indicative of the effectiveness of the actions and the adequate training and administration of the Force.
From the very beginning, we made the institution of Community Policing a priority as a measure of social intervention.
Indicatively, I mention that in 2012 we had 4,000 registered Neighborhood Observers in three Municipalities / Communities. Today we have 90,000 registered Observers in 285 Municipalities and Communities.
The changes in the Police are radical at all levels and I am sure that the results will be even more evident in the coming years when the great changes that the Force and the Ministry of Justice plan and implement at each level have been fully assimilated.
The work of the Police and the Judiciary is what justifies the title of the rule of law.
As you know, the reform and strengthening of the justice system in our country is a premeditated and irreversible decision of the Government and him personally.
To this end, we have made significant cuts in the field of Justice.
• The establishment of a first instance Administrative Court which contributes to the decongestion of the workload in the Supreme Court.
• We have decided to create an Administrative Court of International Protection, which will hear appeals from asylum seekers. The relevant bill will be submitted to Parliament soon.
• In the final stage of elaboration of the legal inspection is a bill that provides for the establishment of a Commercial Court in Limassol, which will speed up the process of civil cases.
• I place particular emphasis on the implementation of the so-called "e-justice", which contributes significantly to the acceleration of court proceedings.
Another element was that since taking power we had set as our primary goal the fight against entanglement and corruption. You are witnesses of the effective actions of the Government, the Attorney General, the Legal Service, the Police, the Auditor General in the implementation of this position, ie there is no longer any tolerance in any way for entanglement, corruption, misuse of public money or abuse of the position entrusted to the State by everyone. I believe that it is understood that there is no case of concealment of any crime, no illegality, no violation of the rules of good administration.
I hope that soon, through the inauguration, we will establish another principle that also concerns the Municipality of Paralimni, that is, to give until the blessed time of the liberation and recovery of the city of Famagusta that dynamic in the city that finally creates conditions for development and access. By the time Famagusta is liberated, there will be all those infrastructures that can contribute to the faster reconstruction of the city.
At the same time with the resolution of the Cyprus problem, the Paralimni Police Directorate will again need the infrastructure buildings required if one considers the population that is currently being policed by the Famagusta Police Directorate.
I warmly congratulate those who contribute to the rapid progress of the construction of the building and I hope that there is no need for police detention centers and that the Police Force be as calm as possible and it is important that we seem to be in the right direction.
Famagusta.News