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- Ελληνικά
Heads of State will come to Cyprus to support the "Amalthea" initiative, President of the Republic Nicos Christodoulides said today.
In his remarks to journalists, coming to the Annual General Assembly of the Cyprus Chamber of Shipping in Limassol, and to a comment by a journalist that there was a wreck in relation to his meeting yesterday with the Ambassador of China on the Vasilikos terminal, the President of the Republic said: "There is no wreck. There is an ongoing discussion, about which at this stage I do not want nor is it appropriate to say anything publicly. We are discussing with a single objective, to implement a strategically important project for the Republic of Cyprus which has already been delayed, two extensions have already been granted and we are discussing. The project consists of three parts, but at this stage I do not want to say anything more."
To another question he said: "If necessary, there will be many meetings. We are approaching this discussion, which we have on the one hand to implement a strategically important project of the Republic of Cyprus, and on the other hand to ensure the interests of the state, because the state, the government operates, negotiates, approaches issues with a single objective, to serve the interests of the Cypriot people."
Asked he said: "My discussion yesterday was exclusively on a political and diplomatic level, I do not conduct technical negotiations."
Asked about "Amalthea" and whether things have been rolling, President Christodoulides replied in the affirmative, adding: "It is very important, we have a lot of help from third countries who want to contribute to this effort, we will have some visits soon from heads of state who supported this initiative. They want to support it even more and I think it is an important development that an initiative of the Republic of Cyprus, which was first presented in October 2023, is now being implemented."
To a reporter's remark that he was ashamed to ask why presidential intervention was needed to change a bed, two toilets and an oven at the Troodos regional hospital, the President of the Republic said: "I too am ashamed that this intervention was needed and that it needs to be done in many of the cases. It is all these procedures that need to be changed. And especially in such matters. When we are talking about the health and education sectors - for us these two sectors are crucial - such interventions should not have to be made, but, unfortunately, they had to be made. I see the result, that is what interests me at this stage, but more generally as a state we have to look at all these procedures that are being followed. First and foremost, it must serve the interests of the Cypriot people and there should be no need for this kind of interference. It is not only about the hospital, even in the case of the terminal, the President of the Republic of Cyprus should not need to intervene and handle such matters. You understand that for us to reach the point of making such interventions, there are some issues that need to be resolved."
Asked if he will seek accountability for the delays in the health sector, the President said: "Certainly, in all sectors there are responsibilities, in all sectors responsibilities must be investigated, but my primary concern is not just to assign responsibilities. What matters is the result, that work is done, that what we say, what we promise, what we proclaim, is implemented. That is what matters, that is where my focus is, without in any way neglecting the area of responsibility."
(PM/AF/NZ)
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