"Unfortunate and inaccurate are the reports in publications about insufficient support for those affected by the devastating fire in mountainous areas of Limassol and Larnaca", Government Spokesman, Marios Pelekanos, said in a written statement on reports regarding the Government's support to the affected people.
As he says, to date, more than six million euros in financial support has been paid, while significant additional funds are available for eligible applicants.
"To restore the truth, the Government wishes to inform that the Council of Ministers, through its Decisions of 7/7/2021, 22/7/2021, 27/10/2021 and 30/3/2022, approved a series of measures to support, compensate and reactivate the affected farmers."
On the basis of these Decisions, the following measures have been/are being implemented:
1. 1.1.1.1.1.2.
As immediate assistance to the professional farmers affected for their livelihood and for the continuation of their professional activity, an amount of EUR 1.4 million was paid, only a few days after the disaster.
2. An exceptional special aid scheme, up to 80% for those who wished to re-establish themselves and up to 30% for the rest. In the first phase, aid of 30% was paid, totalling around €2 million.
3. Activation of Measures 5.2 and 4.1 of the Rural Development Programme (RDP), for aid from 40% up to 100% of the eligible costs of rehabilitation and modernisation of affected farms of fire victims. The Measures are active from 9/2/2022 and the last date for submitting applications is 20/05/2022. For Measure 5.2 there is an amount of over EUR 2 million available, with the possibility of further increase, exclusively for affected farmers. For Measure 4.1 there is an amount of over EUR 30 million available for the whole of Cyprus, with applicants from the affected areas receiving an additional premium over the others.
4. Flood and erosion control and green rehabilitation projects, with a total cost of more than EUR 300 thousand.
5. In addition to projects by the Ministry of Interior, the affected people have received financial assistance amounting to approximately EUR 1.2 million, while the Ministry of Labour has provided exemptions for affected employers and employees from their obligations to the Social Security Fund, at a total cost of more than EUR 1.2 million.
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