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Let me first thank you for organizing today's debate and for your initiative to hold an in-depth discussion on the very important issue of affordable housing, which is of interest to a very large number of our fellow citizens and the resolution of which is very high on the agenda of the Christodoulides Government.
The right of every citizen to have access to affordable and safe housing is non-negotiable. Exogenous factors, such as the increasing inflationary trends recorded internationally, as well as increases in the prices of basic construction materials due to the ongoing war in Ukraine, contribute to the increase in construction costs and the price of available stocks of housing units.
A consequence of this is the difficulty that many of our fellow citizens now face in securing affordable housing to meet their housing needs. This is a real problem, which has recently become more acute and which we have to solve through a comprehensive approach in order to limit its consequences, especially for the socio-economically vulnerable groups of the population.
This is the focus of the effort that has been initiated and is in its final stage, for the formulation and activation of a single integrated housing strategy, with an emphasis on affordable housing. Through the proposed actions, we aim to increase the availability of housing units, as well as to facilitate access to affordable housing for people from low and middle income groups. The new housing policy will be presented in detail in the coming weeks.
In the promoted action pillars of the housing strategy, we build on the existing housing policy framework, which we reinforce with new plans, so that, in an integrated and sustainable way, immediate, medium and long-term actions for the production of affordable housing are formulated in order to ensure social cohesion.
Friends,
We recognize the extent of the housing problem and the lack of available housing units affordable to the low and middle socio-economic strata in Limassol. For this reason, in the new housing strategy we focus on the implementation of measures that will reduce the consequences of the problem.
Indicatively, we have already announced our intention to proceed with the implementation of the affordable housing project by the Cyprus Land Development Agency in the Limassol Municipality. The project is at a fairly mature stage and has been included as a priority in our plan, as a project with a primarily social character.
In addition, we are implementing the "BuildingZO" Project, through which we aim to rehabilitate the urban and structural deterioration of apartment buildings in the governmental settlements of displaced persons, which made them unsafe for the tenants. It is a comprehensive plan to demolish existing apartment buildings and rebuild new ones so that a group of our fellow refugees can acquire decent living conditions.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As I have already mentioned, the processes for the completion of the new housing policy have been intensified with the aim of starting the implementation of its pillars as soon as possible.
As the Home Office, our approach to affordable housing is holistic and puts people and their right to safe and affordable housing at its heart. That is why we welcome and seek to organise initiatives such as today's debate and submission of proposals, which can broaden our options in our efforts to provide a solution to this serious problem.
Once again, I congratulate you for organizing this event and convey to you the readiness of the Ministry of Interior to study possible suggestions and practices that could contribute to a better management of housing policy.
Thank you for your attention.
(MKE)
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