The Minister of Interior, Mr. Nikos Nouris, appeared today at the Parliamentary Committee on Interior to inform about the implementation of the policy statement for the construction of an individual house.
In his statements after its completion, he said that the issue of individual housing is an issue that is not discussed for the first time, but has been widely discussed in this Committee. An issue which, as he characterized it, is extremely serious and with which the Government is particularly concerned.
“The Housing Policy we announced the previous days is tangible proof,” he said. He added that “the second plan of our housing policy in particular has this exact purpose: to provide a way out for people who may have and can not develop a piece of land in areas outside the residential areas, to be helped exactly and to be able to obtain a such a piece, in which they can develop “.
After all, said Mr. Nouris, “we have made it clear to MPs that the claim that is sometimes heard that the process of individual housing affects poor people and favors Developers is something that is exactly the opposite today. Because it's too simple to remind you that, before the criteria were set, it was really the Developers and the big businessmen who – a policy that started to have the character of social policy – turned it into a speculation mechanism, acquiring plots of land for a lentil board, which they then used to raise luxury mansions and ocels, and of course to sell them for very high sums and profits. “
“The individual residence, we have explained in Parliament that, today is unfortunately the reason why there is a serious number of problems caused in the Cypriot countryside in particular,” he said. He explained that the problems concern “issues of environmental disaster, issues of exploitation of fertile land, which under different conditions could be used for many other purposes of common interest, such as the creation of livestock areas, areas of photovoltaic parks, industrial zones.” “We are unable to use such plots of land accordingly, very simply because individual houses have been found in these areas,” said Mr. Nouris.
The Minister said that “additionally, the institution of Local Government is facing a lot of problems today from the individual houses, with the first issue being the increase of service costs, since an individual house fatally and inevitably, being outside the residential fabric, needs much more to be served. , or for the collection of garbage, or for the supply of electricity, or for the supply of water “.
Therefore, he added, “what the Government intends to continue to do is, sparingly and guided by social issues, on the one hand it will try to limit the large number that are currently licensed as individual residences”. He recalled that the number of individual residence permits has exceeded 10,000, therefore, he said, “the claim that not enough individual house permits are issued” is not valid. He went on to stress that “it remains an exceptional institution and not a practice”.
On the other hand, he continued, “through the Housing Plans of the structured and holistic approach that we have announced, we are sure that we can give answers and solutions to this issue, of course satisfying the people who have or do not have a similar piece.” , concluded the Minister of Interior.
