The Government's support for the projects that are ready for implementation is a given, always within the framework of the state's financial capabilities, President Nicos Anastasiades said on Friday, as he symbolically handed over the key to the port and marina of Larnaca to Kition Ocean Holdings.
In his address at the ceremony of handing over the port and marina of Larnaca to the managing consortium, the President described today's day as "historic for the city, for the citizens and for Cyprus as a whole, since the ambitious project related to the redevelopment of the area where the port and marina of Larnaca will be developed is not only taking shape, but will contribute to the progress of Larnaca and the whole territory".
At the same time he expressed the "satisfaction of the State, since with this development another, completely justified for decades, demand of the Municipality of Larnaca is satisfied. This is the largest investment ever made in Cyprus, with an estimated total expenditure of 1.2 billion euros, in full development of the project," he said, adding that "in addition to the upgrading, expansion, operation and maintenance works, the projects, among others, involve the redevelopment of the road network and the creation of infrastructure for residential, commercial, social and cultural use."
He also described as "most important that in addition to the creation of more than four thousand new jobs and the upgraded identity that will give our tourism product, the additional estimated benefits for the economy, beyond investment, are estimated to exceed 120 million euros per year during the period of full development".
After stating that "the key project of the integrated development of the port and marina of Larnaca adds to the visibly revitalized image of the city in recent years", President Anastasiades noted that this image "is the result of the implementation of numerous development projects, which completely reshape Larnaca, contributing dynamically to its transformation into a modern European city, which is now an attractive place to live, do business, trade and tourism".
President Anastasiades expressed "great satisfaction" for the fact that "this significant developmental impetus of recent years is due to the close cooperation between the executive and the local government, due to the close cooperation between an inspiring Mayor and a capable City Council who helped, so that through the synergy, the maturity of the projects, by funding them, we are allowed to execute projects that for decades have been either unclaimed or due to inability on the part of central government and possibly local authorities, can be combined to deliver what we owe to the citizens."
He also mentioned that "from 2015 onwards, projects totalling 141 million euros have been completed or are in the process of implementation in the Municipality of Larnaca", stressing the fact that "long-standing and timeless demands of Larnaca residents have been met, which for various reasons have been lying dormant for decades".
According to the President of the Republic, the specific project of the Larnaca Marina and Port "is a project that, only the investment highlights the range of economic benefits to the city, but also in combination with the port, in the movement of oil facilities, is expected to give a new breath of development to a chronically underdeveloped area".
He even called on everyone to consider the dimensions that Larnaca takes on and upgrades since with the development of the port and marina there will be an area of coastline of more than eight kilometres.
In his address, President Anastasiades also referred to the projects carried out in Larnaca, including "the construction of a new wing of the Hospital, the concession of buildings of the old Hospital to house the Municipal Hall of the city and the relocation of the oil facilities, which is expected to give new impetus to the development of an area that has been underdeveloped for years. There has also been a total overhaul of the urban centre of Larnaca, with major projects completed such as the creation of a Creativity Centre, a Social Welfare and Employment Centre, a Youth Centre and the redevelopment of the Larnaca Municipal Garden, the construction of the Ayios Lazaros Primary School, the upgrading of the Drosia Primary School, the creation of outdoor sports infrastructure at the Ayios Georgios High School, the new facilities of the Larnaca Tennis Club and the rehabilitation of roads and paving of major roads".
President Anastasiades also referred to the "important anti-flooding works that were absolutely necessary in a city that was flooded during the winter", expressing the hope that "with the works already being carried out and those to be built" Larnaca will be a modern and completely renewed city.
In his address, the President of the Republic also referred to the implementation of equally important projects such as the third phase of the improvement of the Larnaca-Dhekelia coastal road, which, he said, is a very important development project, since it connects the port, the marina and the new coast of Larnaca. "All this, working towards the achievement of the goal of sustainable and sustainable development, makes absolutely clear the positive results resulting from the cooperation between central and local authorities," he noted.
At the same time, he reaffirmed that "always within the framework of the financial possibilities of the state, the European funds, the evaluation of projects that can be co-financed, which always depend on the actions of local government, if the projects are mature, I want you to take for granted the support of the Government to the mature projects to be implemented. A possibility", he noted, "that will take on even more dimensions, following the passing of the great reform that we jointly designed for Local Government."
President Anastasiades thanked the Mayor of Larnaca "warmly", since as President of the Union of Municipalities he had "a significant contribution to the achievement of this reform. It may not fully meet the specifications or the studies, but a leap was made, a first step, possibly in the future modifications may be required - this is always the case when major reforms are made. At first with hesitation, then, once the importance is understood, boldly, in order to get the best possible results."
It is a reform, he continued, "that will, at last, give municipal and community administrations the capacity to respond with financial and administrative autonomy to the demands and needs of the citizens" and expressed the hope that "a number of other reform bills pending in Parliament will receive similar treatment from the parties, whether they support or oppose the Government".
This is democracy, he continued, expressing confidence that "none of the political forces will think of refusing to adopt measures that are for the benefit of the people as a whole, and the political forces certainly come from the people as a whole."
Finally, he described today as a "historic milestone for Larnaca and its citizens", as, he said, the development project of the port and the marina "will give new impetus to the development of the city, and not only."
Source: CNA
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