The Municipalities of Ayia Napa and Sotiras and the Community of Liopetriou demand respect for their request for amalgamation, who jointly decided that the new municipality should be renamed Municipality of Ayia Napa in order to preserve the brand name.
A joint statement said that "the public debate that has developed recently about the creation of large municipalities finds the Municipalities of Ayia Napa, Sotiras and the community of Liopetrios totally opposed".
The disagreement and related concerns of the three entities, it adds, "focused mainly on the challenges and problems that appear to exist in terms of functionality and efficiency, with the merger of the four municipalities in Famagusta District, thus creating a super-strong municipality, as opposed to the merger of the five communities in Famagusta District".
It is stated that "the creation of large municipalities is diametrically opposed to the philosophy and general framework of local government reform as expressed through the relevant bills submitted by the Ministry of Interior itself to the Interior Committee of the Parliament".
The creation of disproportionately large municipalities, the statement continues, "will lead not to reform, but to deregulation of Local Government with negative consequences for local communities, since the transition from the current model of administration to something completely different creates enormous operational and administrative challenges."
The Municipalities of Ayia Napa and Sotiras and the Community of Liopetrios send once again "the strong message that the consensual proposal of the three local authorities for their merger is the best solution for them, since it fully meets the conditions and criteria that were set based on the relevant studies conducted by the Union of Municipalities and the Ministry of Interior on the reform and the consultation between them, dated 02 November 2019".
At the same time "the merger will create excellent growth prospects, especially in terms of tourism, since the merged entities have a single coastal front which, with the appropriate infrastructure projects and investments from the private sector, can be developed and contribute to the upgrading of the tourism product. This development will strengthen the new Municipality's position on the global tourism map and will bring significant economic benefits to the merged entities."
To this end, the joint statement notes, "the joint decision of the three local authorities to rename the new Municipality to the Municipality of Ayia Napa is important, so that the brand name Ayia Napa is maintained and helps to further develop tourism."
To this end, the joint statement notes, "the joint decision of the three local authorities to rename the new Municipality to the Municipality of Ayia Napa is important, so that the brand name Ayia Napa is maintained and helps to further develop tourism.
Furthermore, the objective of decentralization of essential services from the Central State is achieved, it adds, "through the creation of the five Provincial Local Government Organizations".
"The purpose of creating these five agencies is to consolidate the services currently provided by the Water Supply, Drainage and Domestic Waste Disposal or Utilization Boards, while transferring development licensing (planning permits and building permits) from the Provincial Planning Offices, Municipalities and Provincial Administrations, respectively, to the five agencies," it said.
The Municipalities of Ayia Napa, Sotiras and the Liopetriou Community also note "that any decision that does not include the merging of the three Local Authorities and involves mergers in the free province of Famagusta will be a sign of disrespect for the citizens of the three Local Authorities, as it will affect their future and prospects through the promotion of alien interests."
Source: CNA
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