Dear Mayors and Municipal Councillors,
Distinguished guests,
Please allow me to return first of all to convey the warm greetings of the Minister of Interior, who is absent on official business abroad and is therefore not with us today, and to this end I offer his apologies.
Dear friends,
It is with great pleasure that I am addressing your conference on behalf of the Minister of Interior, which gives the message that local government authorities in Cyprus are constantly looking for ways to improve, to further develop their capacities and to find ways to overcome any obstacles to achieve their goals.
I would therefore like to congratulate the Municipality of Engomi and personally my friend the Mayor for organising this conference, which takes place at a time when the reform of local government is at the centre of interest, both of the state and of society at large.
The Ministry of Interior is aware that we are facing a very important course for the implementation of the reform in local government, with a very specific timetable, which of course presents significant challenges. At the same time, however, we have set the non-negotiable objective of creating healthy, modern and sustainable local government entities that will be able to provide citizens with upgraded services in a more efficient manner.
For this reason, the present government has prioritized local government reform as one of its top domestic priorities, and remains committed to its underlying principles of financial sustainability, administrative autonomy and decentralization of powers, which have also received broad support before the House of Representatives.
At the same time, however, we are seeking with a package of legislative amendments to regulate any practical implementation problems in the existing laws that have been highlighted in this first year of preparation by all stakeholders.
Our intention is to implement this reform without any deviation from the timetables that have been set - that is, by the next municipal and community elections, which according to the indications coming from Brussels will be held in June 2024, since that is when the European Parliament elections will also be held. During this period of time we will have to operate under the new legislative framework.
The relevant services of the Ministry of Interior, under the Central Advisory Committee, in cooperation with the temporary bodies set up at the local level of municipalities and provincial self-governing bodies, have started preparations since last May and we are already in the second year of the transition period. The Minister of Interior is personally monitoring the relevant roadmap and is constantly and directly informed about serious issues that require his intervention so that no issues remain pending.
Our companions in this last journey we have to go through, as in the whole period that preceded it, are the Associations of Municipalities and Communities, with whom consultation and cooperation on any issues that arise along the way is ongoing. Very important is also our cooperation with other European countries through the Council of Europe, but of course also our cooperation with the Greek government, in order to make use of the experience gained through the reforms in local government that have taken place in Greece in recent years.
At this point, I would like to thank the Greek Ministry of Interior, as well as Mr. Ioannis Karagiannis, the Director General of the Central Union of Greek Municipalities for his valuable contribution in this area, as well as the mayors from various regions of Greece who are with us today, ready to share their own experiences of the reforms that have taken place in Greece.
Dear all,
The problems and challenges we face and will face are many, but when we remain committed to the common goal, I am sure that together we will find ways to resolve them and move forward.
There is only one year left to complete all the necessary actions that need to be taken in the transition phase so that the new municipalities and the other entities established through the new laws will be able to function to the benefit of citizens and society in general. During this period, all those involved should work, with all our strengths and resources at our disposal, to make this a reality. The Ministry of Interior is and will continue to be a constant helper and guide in the whole effort.
I wish you every success in the work of your conference.
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