I am indeed particularly pleased that the tours of the last few weeks in the provinces and the Troodos region are concluding today in the free Famagusta Province
Tours that only aimed both to inaugurate a number of important projects that have been completed and to inspect the progress of major projects under construction or in progress.
Projects, which, together with all the others that have been or are being implemented, have not only put us on the path of progress, but have also created prospects for further economic, social, tourist and cultural development of each Province, Municipality and Community.
And I am glad because this is exactly the goal we had set, when the Republic of Cyprus had already recovered from the economic crisis of 2012-2013, and through the provincial tours and meetings around the country with local government leaders, immediately after the economic recovery that began to be observed quite early, in 2015:
To support the development policy of local authorities, to highlight the comparative advantages of each municipality and community and to create the conditions for their full revitalization for the benefit of citizens.
It is for this reason that I feel particularly satisfied today looking at the new upgraded appearance that the projects that we have promoted in cooperation with our friendly Mayors, the community leaders and members of the Municipal and Community Councils, as well as the professional bodies operating in the area, have given to the free Famagusta.
And I want from the bottom of my heart to thank them warmly, since as our common vision, we have made the Greater Famagusta region an economic lung for the state, a centre of dynamic tourist development, a place of social activity and cultural reference.
An important objective since taking office has been the enrichment and further diversification of the tourism product, highlighting the comparative advantages that each Province offers.
In this context, I cannot but express my particular satisfaction for the implementation of the major investments concerning the marinas of Ayia Napa and Paralimnios, Limassol, Larnaca with an estimated total expenditure of more than 500 million euros.
In this context, I cannot but express my particular satisfaction for the implementation of the major investments concerning the marinas of Ayia Napa and Paralimnios, Limassol, Larnaca with an estimated total expenditure of more than 500 million euros.
Projects that strengthen the position of Cyprus in an increasingly competitive global tourism environment, with added value and benefits, already observed in Ayia Napa Marina with the completion of the port and commercial section, such as the increase in traffic, the creation of new jobs, the strengthening of local economies, the attraction of new investments.
This has been achieved as a result of the economic stability that the country has shown, the strict fiscal policy, resulting in investments not only in the marina sector, but also in the creation of golf courses, hotels, important support structures for the further development of tourism.
Equally important for the development of the region is the connectivity of the free Famagusta areas with Larnaca airport. As well as the agreement reached and entered into force with the British Government on the Development Zones of the communities falling within the areas of the British Bases.
An agreement which was a long-standing demand of the residents within the Bases and which favours 4 municipalities and 21 communities, of which, within the Famagusta District, the Municipality of Deryneia and the Communities of Achna, Liopetriou and Avgorou, Frenarous and Acheritos, whose residents will be able to use their properties for residential, tourism, commercial, livestock and agricultural development purposes, while the rest of the area is included in protection/light development zones. It was an agreement that was reached with the then British Prime Minister David Cameron in 2014 during our meeting in London.
In addition to the above, since taking office, 95 projects have been implemented, are being implemented or are in the process of being implemented in Famagusta District, always with the decisive contribution of the Government, either through the allocation of national funds or through co-financing from the European Union, for the free area of Famagusta, at a total cost of 240 million euros.
Since taking office, 95 projects for the free area of Famagusta, at a total cost of 240 million euros, have been implemented, are being implemented or are in the process of being implemented in Famagusta District, always with the decisive contribution of the Government, either through the allocation of national funds or through co-financing from the European Union.
More specifically.
Allow me to convey my absolute satisfaction for their unification in accordance with the announcements of 2015 and 2017 as the long-standing demands and needs of citizens have been met by upgrading the services offered by the municipalities and communities in a modern and equally functional manner.
What I would like to refer to briefly considering that the free region of Famagusta relies significantly on the agricultural economy is the policies followed by the Government in this sector.
What I would like to refer to briefly considering that the free region of Famagusta also relies significantly on the agricultural economy is the policies followed by the Government in this sector.
In order to strengthen and protect the agricultural sector, we proceeded for the first time with the establishment of a Farmers' Register so that subsidies would target real farmers, while in order to safeguard agricultural production we proceeded with a reform of the whole system by abolishing the OGA and introducing the institution of the Agricultural Revenue Guarantee Fund.
Great importance was also attached to the promotion of the uniqueness of Cypriot products through their inclusion in the lists of geographical indications of the European Union, where, among other things, a local product of the region was certified as a protected designation of origin: Kolokasi-Poules Sotiras.
At the same time, a particularly important agricultural product of the free province, the "Cypriot Potato Kokkinogi", is in the final stage of the process of inclusion in the list of Protected Geographical Indications.
The special interest shown by the government for farmers, the sustainable development of the countryside and the improvement of the quality of life of its inhabitants is reflected in the fact that during the last decade an amount of more than 750 million euros has been channelled to farmers through the Common Agricultural Policy.
At the same time, through the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy for the programming period 2023-2027, which has been approved by the European Commission and by decision of the Council of Ministers is one of the legacies to future generations, the total amount to be spent on strengthening the competitiveness of the agricultural sector for this period is expected to exceed 450 million euros from European and national resources.
It is also worth noting that over the last decade, farmers who have suffered production losses due to natural disasters, adverse weather conditions or extreme weather events have been paid more than €100 million, while in relation to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, packages of targeted financial support measures for farmers amounting to more than €50 million have been adopted.
As I mentioned at the beginning, today is the latest in a series of tours I have undertaken in recent months across the country, launching, inspecting or laying the foundation stones for projects worth hundreds of millions of euros.
Projects which have been made possible to be financed and implemented thanks to the determination and the strict budgetary policy we have followed, but also thanks to the vision - and I stress this - of the leaders and members of the local authorities with whom we have developed an excellent cooperation and it is through this cooperation that it has been possible to achieve what I have mentioned.
And I feel particularly satisfied with the holistic upgrading and revitalization of the free Famagusta Province, as, of course, the rest, which can be easily seen by a simple visit or if the residents of the region reflect on how their municipalities and communities were in 2013 and how they have been transformed over the last decade. A photo of 2013 and one of 2023 proves the truth of the matter.
When in 2013 our country was in a state of bankruptcy, no one could have believed that we would be able to put the economy on the road to recovery in a very short period of time and to proceed from 2015 onwards with the announcements and implementation of projects all over the country.
And I must remind you, and I say this in good faith, because I have often heard criticisms recently about the inauguration, that both in 2015 and in 2017 I was in every District with every head of the Local Authorities, where I listened to their requests, I was informed about the problems that occurred in the implementation of projects, but we also made the announcement of projects that had matured and that were chronic and were among the priorities of the Government.
And I say the above to underline the keen interest that both the elected members of the Cabinet and myself personally had shown since assuming office in strengthening the prospects of local authorities for strong economic, tourism, commercial, residential, cultural and environmental development.
An interest that was not belated but sincere and which, after the toxicity that precedes the elections, will find its recognition and vindication.
An interest which, as I have mentioned, concerns every municipality and community in Cyprus, where the State has proceeded to implement more than 1000 development projects amounting to more than 4.5 billion euros, which have either been completed or are under construction.
I do not want to proceed with an invitation to compare how much has been spent now, how much was spent before, nor to consider which Government proceeded to introduce bills for one of the most important reforms such as that of Local Government. A reform that will establish administrative autonomy and financial self-sufficiency for our municipalities with a significant contribution from the State, but now with an increased feeling that the visions of our Mayors can be realized from their own resources, of course always co-financed by the Government and the EU, but in an easier way.
I am really proud because, despite the multiple challenges we have faced throughout our ten years of governance, we have succeeded in leading our country to prosperity and progress.
I need not recall the economic crisis of 2012-2013, I need not mention the pandemic, I need not mention the current global crisis after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. We are talking about growth rates this year, despite all this crisis, reaching 5.8%, with increased spending on infrastructure projects by 500 million euros, but also with surplus budgets, a dowry that allows the next government to weigh, to calculate, to study the policies to be implemented.
Equally important is the legacy I am leaving, the National Plan "Cyprus - Tomorrow", a project of the Growth and Resilience Fund, which is estimated to leave 4.4 billion euros for projects between 2023-2027, targeted to specific areas that seek even more to modernize the Republic of Cyprus, since it includes 58 reform actions and 75 investment actions.
I feel at ease that we have done everything humanly possible to be proud today and I also feel at ease in the knowledge that I am delivering a modern state through the reforms in the Civil Service, Justice, Local Government, in important areas in general, we are delivering a solid economy, we are delivering a prosperous homeland, we are delivering a homeland that is leading in important areas that many European countries have to envy the prosperity of this homeland. And I do not want to make references either to the management of the pandemic or to fiscal management, which speaks for itself.
And these are not my words, but those of the international rating agencies, the International Monetary Fund, the European Central Bank, all those who deal with and study seriously and objectively what is happening in each state.
I would like to thank the Mayor of Ayia Napa for his hospitality, the Mayor of Sotera, Mayor Pirilli who is not present but whose contribution was important, the Mayor of Deryneia, all the Mayors. I am not interested in ideological colours, nor has the present Government ever discriminated against projects according to who the Mayor was or who was in the majority in the community. What we were interested in was the universal good. And that is what we did. For that I have a clear conscience.
(PM/MX/SX)
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