The fronts of the Local Government that remain open are too many. Greater, of course, is the pending reform, for which the dialogue in the institutions of the Parliament is still in progress. Various other issues arise from this backlog, such as, for example, the economic survival, mainly of the municipalities, but also of the communities. However, the issue of holding the elections for the Local Self-Government came from the background to the fore just in the last few days, with a decision of the Minister to request their postponement and the reactions of the parties that immediately manifested themselves.
The reactions of the parties, however, make it very possible that the elections will be held on Sunday, December 18. Thus, setting up the ballot box with the candidates and the parties now living in the rhythms of the election campaign, is not a remote possibility.
Prior to this decision, at a recent session of the parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs, where the debate on the reform bills is taking place, the issue was raised by its chairman Eleni Mavrou, that in the three-year period set as a transitional stage for the implementation of the reform an insurmountable legal issue will arise. However, in less than two months, unless there is a final reversal, the ballot boxes are set up at a cost to the state of up to € 3 million, in times of financial hardship…
At the same time, it is noted that the communication between the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Finance and the Parliament, presents weaknesses. As a result, while the reform is in progress, the parliamentary Committee on the Interior does not have a clear compass from the Ministry of Interior on how some important issues of the reform will be implemented. On the other hand, the Ministry of Finance should not be able to give clear answers to questions that arise about the financial viability of the Local Government in the context of the reform, because there is no final formulation of the bills.
The debate on the reform has been going on for years until we reach today and it is being discussed before the parliamentary Committee on the Interior on the basis of the three bills submitted before it by the Ministry of Interior.
The basic bill of the three concerns the creation of complexes, the boundaries of which will be determined by the Council of Ministers. The goal of the Government is to complete the debate and pass it into law by the end of the year.
In theory, this goal is not impossible, as according to what was mentioned during the debate in the parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs, by the end of the month and the beginning of next year, the bill will be ready to go to the Plenary for voting.
That is, when the ballot boxes for the local elections will be set up. That is, when the Parliament is called to vote, the electoral battles will be in full swing and of course the issue of reform will be at the center of the pre-election period.
But beyond that and the issues that arise, the major issue that arises concerns the term of office of the new local mayors, whether they are members of mayors and community leaders, or they are just members of municipal or community councils.
According to the provisions of the reform, after the passing of the bills into law, a transitional period of three years follows until the full implementation of the reform, which will result in a reduction in the number of municipalities.
It is characteristic that, according to the Roadmap of the Local Government Reform submitted to the parliamentary Committee on Interior by the Ministry, in December, the voting of the legislative framework of the Local Government reform will include the decision for a number of municipalities after merging. By July 2019 the reform is completed. It is emphasized in the note of the Ministry of Interior to the Parliament that "the suggestion of the Ministry of Interior should be considered for the inclusion of a relevant provision for the promotion of the reduction of the number of municipalities from thirty to twenty two, in a period of three years, as well as for manner of election of the Provincial Complex ".
Therefore, it is obvious that the term of the new municipal and community councils, while it is five years, should be completed in three years. This is where important legal issues arise, for which the Ministry hastened to anticipate with its decision to postpone the elections.
What will happen, for example, to the councils and mayors of the municipalities that will be merged? Will both coexist, or will one of them resign? Who will fire him and what will be the criteria for deciding which mayor or which municipal councilors will be fired?
At the same time, however, are the members of the Municipal Council who were elected with the votes of the citizens of a municipality legitimized to act as representatives of a group or association of municipalities? On the other hand, the elections that will be held are elections of five years and not three years. This is also provided for in the legislation.
At the same time, the Provincial Complexes will start their operation. If the members that will make them up are also elected or only elected, what will happen? Obviously elections will have to be held again.
These concerns are certainly not unknown to the parliamentary parties, nor to the Government, which acted amidst the parties' reactions to its move. From DISY, there is support for the government decision.
The position expressed by the President of DISY for the postponement of the elections is also submitted, in case there were such conditions that led to a solution of the Cyprus problem. AKEL had expressed at some point the view for elections of limited term. However, the landscape remains murky, given the reactions of the other parties outside DISY, which have to do with the way the decision was made without completing the round of discussions with them.
The life and death chapter for the Local Government
An important chapter for the local government is the financial one. According to the data presented before the parliamentary committee of the Interior in its last session, the Minister of Finance Haris Georgiadis, based on the data of 2015, the expenditures and revenues of the municipalities were balanced at € 226 million. According to the Minister, a disproportionately large amount and specifically 54% of the expenses, ie € 122 million, is allocated to salaries and pensions and another € 60 million to other operating expenses.
The basic government sponsorship amounts to € 77 million and remains the same for the period 2014-2017. In addition, municipalities are given another € 10 million per year in various transfers by the central government, which include issues such as lighting and planning permits, while municipalities receive another € 10 million in fines imposed by the Police. .
The municipalities will receive an amount close to € 100 million for the next two years related to the state budget funds for development projects. Regarding the debts of the municipalities, Mr. Georgiadis said that they amounted to € 305 million in 2015, excluding the debts of € 128 million to the Austrian bank FKW, which were taken over by the state. It should also be borne in mind that some municipalities face particular financial problems as opposed to others which due to revenues from other sources (coastal municipalities for example, have revenues from the collection of tourist accommodation and beach exploitation). Therefore, the economic survival of the municipalities is something that the reform should manage, in relation to the goals of the reform that should also serve the reform.
Haris Georgiadis submitted suggestions that the Government may consider, such as the payment of revenues from transfer fees instead of sponsorship, as well as financial support for debt reform and facilitation, however, in order to have something specific, there must be a finalization of the reform. For now, however, some will focus on the election campaign in the coming days rather than on the substance of the reform.
The profile of the elections
The budget for the municipal elections, in case they will be held normally, amounts to € 3 million. According to the Head of the Election Service, Dimitris Dimitriou, the electoral list has not yet taken its final form as the period of objections ends tomorrow. However, we had the registration of 3.652 new Greek Cypriot voters, 17 Turkish Cypriot new voters and 4.345 new Community voters. This is a characteristic of the elections, which unfortunately shows the degree of lack of interest on the part of the people, the fact that on the one hand the number of new voters is very small and on the other hand the fact that the number of new Community voters is greater than the number of Cypriots.
According to preliminary data, around 1.400 polling stations across Cyprus are expected to operate and an average of 5 election officials will work in each polling station, ie a total of about 6.500 employees and more than 2 police officers. The final number of polling stations will be determined by whether and in which communities there will be a consensus and there will be no elections.
It is noted, finally, that the submission of candidacies for the municipalities is set for November 17 and for the communities for November 21.
Source: Liberal