There are many problems faced by the Municipality of Deryneia, including youth unemployment, astyphilia and immigration, says the re-elected Mayor Andros Karagiannis, adding that there are problems regarding the security of the area.
In an interview with KYPE, Mr. Karagiannis stated that "the Municipality of Deryneia as a remote and semi-occupied Municipality has lost 75% of the land and its entire coastal area, 2,5 km long, a fact that limits not only its narrow municipal boundaries but also the inflow of revenue.
The opening of the Deryneia roadblock will boost economic development and trade in Deryneia and the province of Famagusta, but will also contribute to getting to know the "other" side, bringing the two communities closer and improving their daily lives. citizens in both communities ".
Referring to the problems faced by the Municipality of Deryneia, he said that "the most serious are youth unemployment, astyphilia and immigration.
The lack of land and the freezing of all housing programs for young, poor couples, but also for refugees, leads to the mass exodus of young people from Deryneia "he said and noted that" from 2000 to 2016 around 370 marriages have taken place.
"Out of the 370 couples, only 150 have remained in Deryneia and the rest have left due to the extreme, the lack of housing incentives and various other financial reasons".
As a Municipality, Andros Karagiannis continued "we are trying through the Ministry of Interior to launch the separation of even a small number of plots, on state land, for housing young / poor couples.
The constant abandonment of young people leads to the aging of the population of Deryneia, while the lack of investors, due to the limitations arising from the acritia, does not help to create new jobs, resulting in many of our young people looking for a better future in urban centers or abroad".
Regarding the finances of the Municipality, he said that "certainly Deryneia is not one of the richest Municipalities of Cyprus, but it is one of the most tidy.
We are building on solid, financial foundations even though the state sponsorship was reduced by around 50%, however the 15 permanent secretaries and workers of the Municipality, the reduction of unnecessary expenses, the hard work of the staff and the studied and targeted actions and actions, our allow us to look to the future with optimism. "
Our goal, he noted, "is not only to take but to give and offer works to our citizens as a legacy for future generations in an effort to create a successful present, building a bright future for our fellow human beings."
Asked about the budgets of the Municipality for 2017, Mr. Karagiannis answered that "for the three years 2017-2019 it is expected to fluctuate at the same levels as in 2016, close to 2,7 million euros. We try to keep the budget balanced and in surplus, avoiding unnecessary expenses and remaining stable and loyal in supporting Sports, Youth, Culture, Social Care, Environment and Cleanliness ".
He also noted that "citizens should not be victims of the economic crisis that hit the Local Authorities and be left helpless, because they have demands and suggestions that we must listen to and implement to improve their daily lives and quality of life."
Asked to report financial problems that seem to affect the Local Government, the Mayor of Deryneia said that "apart from the reduction of state sponsorship which creates several problems, there is also a lack of additional revenue from services or large companies. In Deryneia we do not have large companies that could contribute in any way to the creation of infrastructure, parks or to the sponsorship of cultural or other events ".
In his interview with KYPE, the Mayor of Deryneia also referred to the security problems faced by the Municipality due to "the urgency, the existence of the barbed wire, the occupying army and the British Bases. "Every day we have to solve problems that arise from the presence of the occupying army, the guarding of the Dead Zone by the United Nations, but also the activation of our citizens within the area of Strovilia which is located inside the British bases of Agios Nikolaos".
He added that "the exercises of the occupying army in the area of Monastiraki, right next to the occupied beach of Deryneia, cause fear and upset especially to our children, but also to the whole of Deryneia. "The constant checks and the guarding by the military forces of the British bases in Strovilia also cause indignation among our citizens, since for every action and initiative we must inform the administration of the British Bases".
Andros Karagiannis also stated that "the new Municipal Council has set as a goal the promotion of actions and actions for the common interest and the good of our citizens. In the new five years we will give special emphasis to the improvement of the road network that was affected by the construction of the sewerage project and to the maturation and promotion of development projects for all ages ".
Regarding the projects that have been implemented or are in the process of implementation, he said that "the Adult Center was temporarily received, which will house the elderly while promoting the creation of a closed Culture Hall. The design of the project of the Popular Market has also been completed and we hope that we will include it in the new programming period of the Rural Development Funds 2014-2020. We promote beach volleyball courts for our youth in collaboration with KOA and KOT while we seek to create a central square from the church of Agios Modestos to the Museums and the church of Panagia, highlighting the traditional core of the Municipality of Deryneia ".
He also stated that "the province of Famagusta has several prospects for the promotion of Sports and Medical Tourism.
The Mayor of Deryneia also said that "in case of a settlement of the Cyprus problem and the return of the occupied area of Famagusta, Deryneia will gain access to its sea and therefore the correct, organized and studied urban planning is required".