-
.
- Ελληνικά
As part of his briefing to the media, today, at the Presidential Palace, the Government Spokesman Mr.
Asked to comment on reports by Jean-Claude Juncker on the Cyprus problem in an interview with the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), the Spokesman said: "We are recording Mr Juncker's personal views. What we should note from this interview is that Mr. Juncker himself indicates, notes that the prospects for a Cyprus settlement exist, but also highlights the role that the European Union (EU) can play, can perform, can have an effect in this effort to resolve the Cyprus problem. At the same time, Mr. Juncker himself acknowledges the sincere will, the efforts that President Christodoulides is currently making to resume the negotiations from the point where they have been interrupted."
Asked if there is any update on when Ms Holguín will brief the United Nations (UN) Secretary General (SG), the Spokesperson said: "The information we have remains the same so far, is that in the first week of June Ms Holguín will have a meeting with the UN Secretary General to exchange views as to the reading of the data, but also on the next steps that can be taken."
Asked if the Amalthea project is affected by developments in relation to the Larnaca port, the Spokesperson said: "The plans and implementation of the Amalthea maritime corridor initiative are not affected to any extent whatsoever in relation to the developments at the port and Larnaca Marina.
Besides, the day before yesterday the unloading of one ship was completed precisely in the implementation of this plan. The port of Larnaca has passed into the full control of the Cyprus Ports Authority. As far as the employees are concerned, the second meeting of the Minister of Labour took place yesterday, in the presence of the Minister of Transport, where it was decided that the employees will be employed. The staff will be employed by the Famagusta Larnaca Development Company and the employment of these workers will be included in the terms of the tender for the award, when and if the tender is re-advertised."
Asked if there is interest from other companies, the Spokesman said: "Interest is known to exist in general for our country in terms of investment. As far as this particular project is concerned, you understand that all the newly established procedures, all the procedures that have been laid down will have to be followed. Let me inform you that tomorrow the competent Minister will attend the extraordinary meeting of the competent Parliamentary Committee on Transport, where the latest developments will be discussed on the basis of the plan activated by the Government, and in the afternoon the meeting of the Minister of Transport with the local authorities, with the local bodies will take place in Larnaca, precisely to discuss the next actions, the next steps to be taken. The aim of the government, and this is something that he himself as President of the Republic has mentioned, but also the responsible Minister, is to tender the project as soon as possible and to complete it as soon as possible because it is a project that will not only have a very positive impact for the city and the province of Larnaca, but also for the whole country."
Asked how the assistance will be provided, since the pier built by the US has a problem, the Spokesman said: "In the operating mechanism of the floating dock there is the possibility of floating storage of humanitarian cargo. That is, already the cargoes and these cargoes will not leave today possibly, but those that have left the day before yesterday are stored in floating means until the floating dock is fully repaired. The fact is that the adverse weather conditions have somewhat slowed down the unloading of humanitarian cargoes. In no way, however, has the operation been suspended.
The information we have from the United States of America is that within the next few days, possibly in the middle of next week, the pier will be able to receive humanitarian cargo again. However, we stress and underline that in no way has the shipment of humanitarian aid and its storage stopped."
In response to another question he said: "The information that we have on the part and competent partners who are distributing humanitarian aid, a large part of the aid has already been distributed, corresponding to the provision of aid and essential food for tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza for a month."
You understand that all aspects must be taken into account and particularly security, all parameters. It is a complex process, but what we should note is that they are intensifying and accelerating every day, because it is a complex process that needs this development, but it is also progressively accelerating the dispatch of humanitarian aid through Amalthea and its distribution."
In response to another question, the Spokesman said: "It is now self-evident that the Government has taken steps to address the impact of the shortage. We understand the high pressures on households and our fellow citizens. So far, since this Government took office, in addition to the three major, household support packages have been announced. We are constantly assessing the data, whether they relate to energy prices or whether they relate to household support, and we are just approaching the end, the end of the measures, which, I would remind you, are in force until the end of June. The Government, in line with the fiscal data, will assess any additional or differentiated measures that have already been taken. But what we should note and what we should also remind ourselves of through these latest positive developments, positive developments, is that it is precisely this responsible, prudent fiscal policy that the Government is pursuing, away from populism, away from parochialism, which allows our country to have this positive image and to become an attractive investment destination, where we will be able to attract quality investment in our country, but also to substantially improve the daily life of our citizens. "Until the tender is re-launched, all procedures will be followed. There is nothing we can say. But what we should note with satisfaction is that for a number of potential investments in our country, our country is a quality, attractive destination. We see various states both in the region and EU Member States, as well as third countries, turning to the Republic of Cyprus for potential investments. And I think this demonstrates in the most categorical way, in the most emphatic way, the correctness of the economic policy that is being followed."
In response to a journalist's remark that there are several delays in various public works, Letybiotis said: "I think this is not a recent phenomenon, unfortunately for our country. We see very important infrastructure projects, projects of national scope and national importance, and we have seen this over the last decades, not being implemented within the timeframes that were set. This has resulted in the loss of the accelerated perspective that these projects would have had in terms of development, in terms of modernising the country. It is something that we also identify. It is something that we have noted. It is also the reason why we have activated this procedure in the case of the port and marina of Larnaca, when we have identified that despite all the efforts of the Government, it has been met with a constant refusal on the part of the company, because we want this very important project to be completed as soon as possible. It is a discussion that needs to be had in terms of the institutional, in terms of the major reforms that need to be made, the structural reforms that need to be made through a sober, beneficial dialogue with all the stakeholders, with all the partners, whether that is the legislature or whether that is the local authorities, with whom we need to see exactly how these mechanisms are made, in order to expedite the implementation of the projects."
(PM/MS/NYAN)
Contents of this article including associated images are owned by PIO
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or PIO
Source
