In an interview with SigmaLive, Mayor Giannis Karousos spoke about the Local Government reform and the scandals.
The Mayor of Ayia Napa expressed the certainty that the current Mayors of the free province of Famagusta are not involved in any scandal.
According to Giannis Karousos, "now the Municipalities of Famagusta have managed to have and express a single voice. This fact gave new impetus to the claim as a team, with planning, dynamism and evidence. The cooperation between the neighboring Municipalities is excellent and this is a new element for the region which in turn creates an excellent perspective ".
"Faidonos' handling is correct"
In relation to the much-praised landfill-landfill case, Mr. Karousos stressed that everything must come to light, there must be absolute transparency and "every cheater must enter his bench".
Besides, as he stressed, the Municipalities of Paralimni and Ayia Napa were the first to proceed with a stoppage of payments, before all this commotion broke out with the Kosi Foundry.
There are other issues and issues that have seen the light of day and need further investigation, said Mr. Karousos.
He then expressed his agreement on Phaedo's handling and that he, Mr. Karousos, adopts such behaviors when he has evidence and knows that the law must prevail.
"Recently, the Municipalities and the Mayors have been identified with negative news and scandals. This is a way for those of us who are clean and aim to offer to the Citizens and our Municipality, to show that we are not all the same. "People should understand this and not put us all in the same fate," he said.
Disagreements over reform provisions
Asked whether he agrees with the provisions of the reform promoted for the Local Government, the Mayor of Ayia Napa, expressed his disagreement with the provisions and the procedure that has been followed so far.
It is unacceptable, he noted, that the Municipalities of the Free Region of Famagusta and Paphos are absent from any negotiations.
The discussions on this issue, continued Mr. Karousos, are made by the Executive Committee of the Union of Municipalities in which the Famagusta Free Zone is not represented.
He cited as a shocking and indicative example of the wrong procedure the fact that, in the Executive Committee of the Union of Municipalities, participate the large Municipalities, whose Water Supply Councils are already consolidated.
The Mayor of Ayia Napa also asked who will claim and defend the Municipalities and communities that have their own Councils and services of Water Supply or in matters of Urban Permits, since the affected Municipalities do not participate in the process. How can, he continued, a Municipality decide what will happen in an area that belongs to another Municipality?
As Mr. Karousos noted, no specific techno-economic studies have been done, with statistics to support this reform, in terms of its positive outcome.
Mr. Karousos's position is that there should be a real reform, which, however, concerns the updating of the Law on Municipalities, to strengthen the control by the competent authorities, to give more responsibilities to the Municipalities and to make a partial integration in specific sectors. and not entirely.
The marina of Ayia Napa and the company AKTOR
AKTOR company, a member of the Bombola group, is one of the companies bidding for the construction of the port part of the Ayia Napa marina. Asked if this worries the Municipality, especially after the latest revelations about the possible involvement of Bombola in scandals, Mr. Karousos stressed that the Municipality has nothing to do with the evaluation of the offers. The contribution of the Municipality stopped at the point where problems related to licensing, Natura2000 restrictions, access to sewers and consolidation, provision of infrastructure facilities were overcome.
He stressed that this is a purely private initiative and unequivocally stated his confidence in the company that took over the management of the investment and which has the full responsibility for evaluating the offers. Not only one company was interested, but seven, Mr. Karousos continued. He said he was confident that the company would make the right decision, which would not jeopardize the smooth development and completion of this investment.
* In the second part of the interview, the vision, the goals, the infrastructure projects, the good administration implemented by Giannis Karousos and the future of Ayia Napa.
Source: SigmeLive