It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to this evening's event organised by the Ministry of Interior on the occasion of the announcement of yet another Plan for the revitalisation of the walled city: the Entrepreneurship Enhancement Plan.
This is the second Plan in a row that we are announcing within almost a month and a half, following the announcement of the "Action Plan for the regeneration and revitalization of the walled city of Nicosia", in the presence of the President of the Republic himself, Nicos Anastasiades.
The "Action Plan" is the culmination of many years of efforts. The objective is clear: to halt the decline, depopulation and abandonment experienced by the old town and to bring it back to a rhythm of growth and intense commercial activity.
It is acknowledged that the walled city slipped into a continuous course of degradation and decline, before starting to revitalise and recover in recent years through targeted actions.
The "Action Plan for the Revitalisation of the Walled City", under the umbrella of which a number of actions are included, including the Sponsorship Plans we will present to you today, is not a piecemeal exercise. It is the continuation and completion of drastic interventions and actions that have already been implemented with state resources under the four-year programme for the Revitalisation and Revitalisation of areas of the Nicosia Green Line 2017 - 2021, as well as the continuation of co-funded projects with the support of the European funds.
Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to congratulate the Municipality of Nicosia, which in recent years has used all these tools, means and resources to improve the historic centre of the capital. I also congratulate the relevant state agencies that have contributed and continue to contribute to this effort.
Dear friends,
Tonight's event is being held on the occasion of the announcement of the Entrepreneurship Enhancement Plan. Through the presentations that will follow, we would like to inform all of you, both the relevant stakeholders and potential beneficiaries, about the Grant Schemes and the urban incentives/regulations that come into force, so that by joining forces we can contribute to the promotion of all the schemes.
The Entrepreneurship Support Scheme announced today is a flexible and generous scheme aimed at both natural and legal persons with economic activity, owners and tenants of buildings.
The total amount available until 2026 is €10 million and the funding is for 60% of the eligible costs of each proposal, with a maximum financial assistance of €80.000 per project.
I will not dwell on the details of the two projects because they will be presented by the officials of the Department of Planning and Housing immediately.
I would like to make special mention of the fact that the first indications from the announcement of the Grant Scheme for Student Residences are extremely encouraging. Some 50 building owners have already expressed an interest, many of whom have submitted blueprints for inclusion in the process. And this great interest is particularly satisfying, because we can see that our efforts to revitalise the historic centre, to restore economic, professional and social activity, to increase the number of visitors to the centre, to make the most of public buildings and to encourage youth activity are paying off.
We are all together in this process, which aims to regenerate and develop the historic centre of our capital. Each of us from our own perspective, either through plans and policies, or through projects, actions and investments, we will give Nicosia within its walls the opportunity it deserves, to give it back what we owe it: its lost glory.
And because all this did not happen by magic, let me conclude by thanking my friend the Mayor of Nicosia, Mr. Konstantinos Yiorkatzis, and the Municipal Council for our excellent cooperation.
Thanks and congratulations are also due to the competent Department of the Ministry of Interior, as well as to the Department of Urban Planning and Zoning for their enormous contribution and input.
I would like to personally thank Ms Patrina Taramidou, Ms Elena Patsalou, Ms Ioanna Nikiforou and Ms Elena Fisentzou from the Administration of the Ministry of Interior, as well as the Director of the Department, Mr Kyriakos Koundouros, Ms An. Ms. Irini Hadjisavva, who heads this effort, as well as the Officers Ms. Maria Xenophontos and Ms. Emilia Siantou. Thanks also to the officials of the Ministry of Finance.
But thanks also to all of you who are here today. The organized Associations, the Chambers of Commerce, the University of Cyprus, the Holy Archdiocese, for supporting this effort.
I want to assure you that together we will make this common vision a reality.
(EFYs/SX)
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