The projects and policies we have put in place show how much importance must be given to mountain communities, to criteria, to incentives, to infrastructure, to roads, to everything that will help to stop urbanisation and bring development and prosperity to the mountain communities that once flourished.
Through the national tourism strategy, through the settlement policy, through the incentives given to our young people to stay in their communities, through the effort to create and support local production, I believe that we are embarking on a new path to respond to what we owe to the pillars of the Cypriot people, our mountain communities.
The Troodos Hospital is one of the major projects concerning the good of health.
In most of the provinces there are now medical centres, but the most important of all was the introduction of the GHS. A system that, without discrimination, responds or ought to respond to the needs of all citizens.
I believe that the more than doubling of the budget in relation to the health sector also demonstrates the Government's interest in an issue that once would have either used up resources or had to be put on hold at the expense of the health of the people.
The first years of my life were spent in the mountain communities, in Asbestos. Kyperunda was one of the communities in which during my political career I experienced love and gave all that was possible. As well as Agros and Chandria and Agridia and Solea and other communities with which we have excellent relations.
I want to express my thanks to the Commissioner of Mountain Communities, Mr. Kostas Hambiaouris.
The Commissioner of Mountain Communities is an institution that we started with Yannis Papadouris, we must not forget and never overlook the people who conceived ideas and who adopted ideas.
I also thank the Director of the Hospital, the doctors, the nurses, the paramedical staff, and all those who really contributed and helped to ensure that the planning was done according to the needs and as it should have been. I thank the community leaders of the area.
I also thank the Ministry of Health, the Ministers, the Director General, all those who, adopting my vision of a revitalized countryside, with the needs as prescribed especially in the health sector, have stood as helpers and supporters and with determination pushed forward to make the project happen.
I thank and congratulate Public Works, the Department of Transport, which made a significant contribution to the project, and the contractors. And because I understand that there are some outstanding issues, I would like to request that the remaining, small-scale works, which, however, do not impede the functionality of the hospital, be settled as soon as possible, and generally express my grateful thanks to all of you for the love and support you have shown during my ten-year term as President of the Republic.
(PM/MG)
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