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It is with great pleasure, but also feelings of pride that I am here today in Athienou, to celebrate the inauguration of the "Nikos Mouyaris" Amphitheatre Hall.
Knowing how decisions are made, Kostas Kadis' decision to carry out this project was very important.
The construction of this modern hall is perhaps the best memorial for a worthy son of Athena, a pure Cypriot, a cosmopolitan Greek, whom I had the blessing - for it was a blessing - to know personally in 1993 when I went to New York for my studies. Recognizing the value of philanthropy, education and culture, Nikos identified his distinguished career with noble deeds and works of charity, away from the limelight in most cases, leaving his mark everywhere. He was [ALSO] particularly proud as a resident of Athienou. As I mentioned before, I was fortunate enough to know Nikos Mouyaris personally and I can only praise his great love for our country and Athienou in particular and his selfless contribution, elements that make the gap of his absence even more pronounced. Nikos stood out because although he was always present in every call for help and at the forefront of every struggle of the expatriate community, he never, ever sought prominence.
Being here, in the outlying municipality of Athienou, at an event for Nikos Mouyaris, only a few meters from the occupying barbed wire that keeps our country divided, I want to send a message of optimism to everyone and assure you that, despite the difficulties, the problems, the challenges that we have to face every day because of Turkish intransigence, we will never, never, never turn away from the effort to free our country and reunite it. In our dreams, as in Nick's dreams, occupation will never gain a place, simply because we want to see this land reunited and realize its full potential.
What is our constant demand. Recently, a [REQUEST] for the Pyroio barricade was again submitted on our part, on our own initiative. Think of the prospects if it worked or if Cyprus was reunited.
Our side has demonstrated in practice that it supports the effort of the UN Secretary General. We are not afraid to discuss, we are not afraid of dialogue and we are doing everything possible so that the initiative of his personal envoy opens a window of opportunity, so that through the discussion we can see the prospects for the resumption of talks.
Being in the outlying region of Athienou today, allow me to underline once again the Government's and my personal determination to fully support our outlying regions, which in essence - this is what you are doing in Athienou - are the custodians of our occupied territories and the harbingers of the reunification of our homeland. Recognizing the difficulties faced by you, the inhabitants of these areas, I assure you that we will continue to take measures and promote policies and actions that will contribute to the further progress and development of our outlying municipalities and communities, particularly in terms of facilitating home ownership, developing agriculture and livestock farming, providing high quality health services and offering quality and unrestricted education.
Listening to the various requests that have been made by the Mayor A state to be considered a state in 2024, especially when we are talking about a member state of the European Union (EU), must offer the same rights to its citizens wherever they are, wherever they live in the areas of Education and Health. So, taking into account the list that you mentioned to me, Mr. Mayor, I can today - because I want to look you in the eye, I will come back to Athienou very soon - assure you about the Health Centre that it will start working. There is absolutely no excuse. It will be discussed in the Council of Ministers next Wednesday. The residents of Athienou should have no less rights than the residents of any other city and region.
At the same time, the Technical Services of the Ministry of Education please respond to the request of 150 thousand euros concerning the wider education sector. So, for Education and Health, for requests that we receive and are perfectly justified, we as a State have to respond.
We will see the other requests as they develop.
I know, I have also spoken with the Minister of Agriculture, how concerned you are about the issue of the one million euro debt, which in other communities as a Government over time we have responded. It is an issue that we will find a solution to very soon.
For me, after Education and Health, if there is one thing we are happy about, it is seeing so many children here, in a marginal community. For there to be so many children means there are a lot of young families in the area, so we have to encourage even more families to come and live in Athienou.
For a young family to come and live in Athienou, the first things they will look for are Education and Health. So, it is for this reason that I say that as a state we must respond to requests.
Very soon we will be announcing the revised Housing Plan for the Revitalization of Mountain, Scenic and Disadvantaged Communities, which we are placing very high on our priorities. For us there are no small and large communities, no two-tier citizens when it comes to Education and Health. Therefore, improving the quality of life of residents throughout the territory, which is effectively controlled by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, remains the top priority of our policies
Our government programme, which is our contract with the people, includes specific actions for marginal communities, in order to create a better tomorrow in a changing country. It is in this context that our priorities are set, despite the economic realities about which we must be careful. In the areas of Health and Education there are no debates.
The "Nikos Mouyaris" Amphitheatre Hall, which we are inaugurating today, is a good example of a qualitative upgrade of our infrastructure, with multiple benefits in both the educational and cultural sectors. The Hall was designed under the previous government - and I would like to highlight the role of the previous government, especially my friend Costas Kadis - and was only recently delivered, at a cost of around two million euros. It was originally part of the building programme for the new Athienou Primary School. However, it was not erected together with the rest of the school building, which was done later, with a revision of the original plan.
The facilities of the Hall -it is one of the best halls we have in Cyprus today and you should be very proud of it, possibly the state may need to use it as part of the EU Council Presidency in the first half of 2026, or even hold an event here, highlighting the special characteristics of a bordering municipality; they meet all modern standards
We proceed, among other things, to institutionalize the status and professional status of the Artist, while at the same time we support in all ways the cultural creation, as well as the digital upgrading of our cultural spaces.
In conclusion, friends, and after reaffirming that our efforts to continuously upgrade the two key sectors of Education and Culture will be intensive and uninterrupted, I hope that the Hall we are inaugurating today will serve as a place of meeting, creation and progress. I am sure that it will evolve into a vibrant centre of activity in our Acropolitan Athens, where ideas, arts and people will come together for a better tomorrow.
I assure you that, like previous Governments - because the most important thing in politics is to recognise the work that is being done - we will continue to be at your side. You mentioned earlier the issue of roads in the region, it was something you had asked for, but also other issues, particularly with regard to education and health issues. I assure you that as a State we will respond immediately.
(PM/GC/NYAN)
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