Above all else, the public interest is paramount in the execution of the work of the new members of the Council of Ministers, said President of the Republic Nikos Christodoulides on Thursday during the swearing-in ceremony of the new members of the Council of Ministers.
President Christodoulides called on the new Ministers to work tirelessly, with dedication and legacy, in order to live up to the expectations of the people. He called on them to listen to the problems of the people and find solutions, and to visit even the most remote village to talk to the last citizen of our country.
Our ark, said the President, is the Republic of Cyprus with a clear European, Western orientation and our goal is the prosperity, progress and security of the place and the people.
The President called on the new members of the Cabinet to promptly ensure that they are informed about the responsibilities of their portfolio, to examine the pending issues and to make the most of the experience of their predecessors, the officials and the human resources of the Ministries and the public administration.
"My appeal is to ensure that you have good and creative cooperation with all state institutions, with the legislative and judicial authorities, political forces, social partners, various professional and other affected groups of citizens. My wish is that you have direct and personal contact with citizens, even in the most remote village, to see and hear them, to listen to them and to do whatever is required so that as a Government, we can find solutions to problems and promote demands that are fair, justified and feasible," he said.
The President also called on them to work tirelessly, 24 hours a day, so that when the time for the final reckoning comes, they can justify the expectations of our people.
The President also expressed confidence that the new members of the Cabinet will work methodically and effectively to implement the government program that serves five key priorities, with the top one being the resolution of the Cyprus problem, and concerns strong defense and security, a dynamic and extroverted foreign policy with a European-Western orientation, a strong and resilient economy, modernization of the state and continuous reforms, transparency, accountability, combating corruption and improving the daily lives of citizens, through continuous investments that upgrade their lives.
What happened in the three and a half years, what is being implemented, the plans
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In his speech, President Christodoulides referred to effective interventions made during the three and a half years of governance in the sectors of health, education, housing, and social welfare. He also referred to the tax reform, the recent decision on vocational education, training, employment, and care for adults with disabilities, the upcoming reform of the pension system, the continuous digitalization of services, the modernization of institutions, the abolition of bureaucratic procedures that serve transparency and promote accountability, as well as the effective management of immigration.
The President also mentioned that the deterrent capacity of the National Guard is being strengthened in practice, military infrastructure is being upgraded and modernized, while he referred to initiatives that upgrade and expand the diplomatic footprint of the Republic of Cyprus, which, as he said, is now recognized as a valuable partner, reliable interlocutor, pillar of stability and bridge of cooperation between Europe and the wider region.
Reference also to the Cyprus issue - moderate optimism for the last mile
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President Christodoulides, in his speech, also said that the developments of recent months, which culminated in the visit to Cyprus after 16 years of the United Nations Secretary-General and the European Commission's envoy for the Cyprus problem, justify the persistent efforts that we have been making since the first day of assuming the governance of the country to resume negotiations on the basis of the agreed framework, from the point at which they were interrupted in Crans Montana, with respect for the negotiating acquis, the principles, the values and the Law of the European Union.
"Despite the problems, challenges and difficulties, the results so far allow us to be cautiously optimistic that, yes, it is possible to cover the last mile that will lead us to the end of the occupation and liberation," he stressed.
Thanks to outgoing members
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In his speech, he did not fail to thank the outgoing members for their contribution and their methodical work in the implementation of the government program.
"The always willing and dedicated Alexis Vafeadis, I am sure, is one of the few people who will stand before me to accept "the bullet", the hardworking Maria Panayiotou who always faced difficult challenges with a smile and hard work, and the unwavering Lina Kassianidou, who I saw at all the events I attended, were among the people who contributed knowledge, put in the effort and gave their best, always working with honesty and dedication, often under difficult conditions", he said.
New Minister of Agriculture's response
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On behalf of the new members of the Council of Ministers, the new Minister of Agriculture Christos Senekis thanked the President for the highest honor, emphasizing that the mandate he has assigned to them also constitutes a heavy responsibility towards the homeland, the institutions of the Republic of Cyprus and above all towards the citizens who expect efficiency, consistency and responsibility from the State.
"However, it also constitutes a responsibility towards your own governance program, which constitutes the social contract of the current Government with the Cypriot people. We must honor this contract and we will honor it until the end. It constitutes an end and a responsibility towards the service offered by the members of the Government who are leaving today, leaving behind important work and a valuable legacy," he said.
Mr. Senekis said that they are fully aware of the challenges facing the place, but also of the particular requirements that accompany each portfolio separately, as well as being fully aware of the high expectations of society and the high bar of the President's expectations.
"Our only ambition and expectation, when the cycle of our presence in the high office that you have entrusted to us today is complete, is to have responded to the greatest possible extent to the expectations of the citizens and to have left a substantial, positive imprint on the place and your governance," he concluded.
