I welcome you to this very different from our previous meetings. The next and most promising day for local government in Cyprus is now a reality.
Today we are called to start the process of realizing what we have all been working for years.
After more than a decade of efforts, discussions and consultations, we have managed, together, to come up with a new, modern and improved legislative framework, which was passed by the House of Representatives last March. In fact, the reform of local government is one of the most important reforms since the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus, which the Government has consistently pursued, considering it its top priority. And it is for this reason that I would like to reiterate my thanks for the valuable and sincere cooperation of all of you towards the achievement of the above objective. The Chairman and members of the Parliamentary Committee on the Interior, both the current and the former Committee, as well as the Presidents and members of the Associations of Cyprus Municipalities and Communities and, of course, my colleagues at the Ministry of Interior.
Our first meeting today aims to provide all those directly involved with the necessary information on the provisions of the three new laws that have been passed and, at the same time, to focus on the preparation, constitution and responsibilities of the bodies provided for by the laws, as well as on the roadmap and the issues that need action in order to implement all the provisions of the reform. Everything that needs to be done in the transition period, until May 2024, is many and the timetables are pressing. We will strictly adhere to the timetables in order to be ready in time to achieve a smooth transition to the new institutional framework. Procedurally, today's meeting will be followed by meetings, at the provincial level, in order to have more specific discussions with stakeholders, even on a law-by-law basis.
I think it is clear to everyone that the challenge of preparing for the next stage is enormous and requires a coordinated and well-organized effort from all those directly involved. The Ministry of Interior is ready, as you will see, to assume the role of coordinator and guide of local authorities and organizations, through the Central Advisory Committee, established under the Municipalities and Provincial Self-Government Organizations Acts, in order to achieve proper preparation for the transition to the new framework for the operation of local government within the specified timeframes. Recognizing the necessity to be accompanied by specialists and experts, we have already requested support from the Greek Ministry of Interior and we are waiting for the suggestion of practices to contract with the Ministry of Interior.
Dear Partners,
The legislative framework for the operation of local service clusters in municipalities is less complex and thus the establishment of a temporary body is not foreseen during the transition period. Nevertheless, this process is also being treated with due care by the Ministry and will receive our support and guidance in order to establish the right organisational structures, in each cluster. In addition, I would like to reiterate our commitment that the communities and by extension the clusters will receive increased financial support from the state in proportion to that of the municipalities, so that they are sustainable and capable of providing upgraded services to rural residents. We have already proceeded to examine and approve requests by strengthening the staffing of communities with additional personnel to serve existing needs, where necessary and justified.
I will not go into the individual features of the new laws, as these will be presented to you in detail below. But I do want to point out that through the presentations that follow, a number of issues will emerge which we as a Ministry have identified as requiring further legislative or other regulation. These issues have arisen because of the large number of amendments that have been introduced during the passage of the bills. Some additional gaps and weaknesses have also been identified following the overall assessment of the laws, which also require correction. Therefore, it is expected that in due course and certainly before the new laws come into force that, the Ministry of Interior will come back with amendment bills to correct the problematic provisions.
Dear Friends,
As we all know, the goal of achieving the new framework for local government by 2024 has been included in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and is a prerequisite for the absorption of resources from the Fund necessary for the requested transformation and modernization. As part of this Plan, a training programme has therefore been adopted for both elected officials and technocrats who will be responsible for implementing the reform. The programme is being prepared, the two associations will be consulted and you will be informed shortly.
Addressing in particular the elected officials who are with us today, I would like to point out that the extension of your mandate until May 2024 gives you additional responsibilities. We ask you to use this period for proper preparation and a smooth transition to the new order. I am confident that all of you will shoulder this burden with a sense of responsibility. I assure you that the Ministry of Interior will be constantly at your side to support this enormous effort.
In conclusion, I would like to thank again all the institutions that contributed to the completion of this enormous effort and I hope for everyone's cooperation, so that after the next local government elections we will be in a position to operate on the basis of the new order, for the benefit of citizens and society in general.
The first step has been taken. The government of President Anastasiades has kept its commitments. Just as we approached the necessity of passing the Bill consensually, we will proceed in the same way at the implementation stage. Together we succeeded in passing this important reform for the citizen, together we will make it a reality.
Thank you.
(EFYs)
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