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“The new national plan” Cyprus – Tomorrow “does not only concern the Government, a party, a government term, but it is the new long-term version of Cyprus and it concerns us all and requires national, political and social reconciliation,” he said in a written statement. The President of the Republic made a statement after his meetings with the political leaders aimed at forming a government of wide acceptance, which were fruitless.
He points out that “what I am asking for is not to co-govern. My goal is not to share governance responsibilities. I ask that we build bridges of responsibility, so that together we can face the new great challenges “.
He goes on to say that he would like to thank all the political leaders in particular for the frank and creative discussions they have had over the last two days, noting that “it was not a formal, conventional process. It was an initiative, on my part, substantial, necessary and, as a result, very fruitful “.
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“I am pleased that, despite the differences that exist and are respected, I have found a strong will to find common ground and the necessary consensus needed to achieve the great national goals for the benefit of society and citizens. What I stressed to the political leaders is the readiness of the Government to be in a constant and creative dialogue with all, in order to achieve the desired understanding and consensus, in order to jointly achieve the reforms that will make our state more modern, more effective. more citizen friendly. “In the same spirit were the positions of the political leaders, whom, once again, I thank,” he said.
The goals and policies of the Plan were made public.
A. OBJECTIVE OF THE PLAN.
We presented an ambitious and realistic plan not only for the recovery of the economy, but also for the creation of a new vision for our country: The “Cyprus – tomorrow” Plan, which is the brave crossroads, the roadmap for the post-covid era.
It is a total economic and social transformation, with the aim of promoting Cyprus:
A. As a country with high levels of resilience, productivity and competitiveness, through a sustainable model of long-term development.
B. A country where the education system and workforce development are aligned with the skills needed for the future.
C. A country that will be one of the pioneers in the green and digital transition.
D. A country with a resilient health system, which will follow best practices based on the top systems in the world.
E. A welfare state that will further strengthen the protection network of those in need of state assistance.
F. A state of law, transparency and accountability, with strong anti-corruption mechanisms.
B. POLICY AXIS.
Axis 1: Public Health and Civil Protection.
It includes measures that will contribute to increasing the readiness, resilience and quality of the services of the General Health System. By creating the necessary infrastructure, equipment and procedures, emphasis will be placed on strengthening public hospitals to become more competitive and able to deal with future health crises.
The Axis also includes investments to strengthen civil protection and, in particular, the use of smart technologies for the effective handling of emergencies.
Axis 2: Rapid transition to the Green Economy.
Axis seeks to make a significant contribution to green transition and environmental sustainability, through the achievement of national goals for climate neutrality, energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. It promotes reforms in the fields of climate and energy, sustainable transport, water resources management and the wider environment.
Axis 3: Strengthening the Durability and Competitiveness of the Economy.
This Policy Axis aims to improve the competitiveness and resilience of the Cypriot economy. In addition to the other axes, it includes measures that contribute to the promotion of a new model of development and international competitiveness of the Cypriot economy, based on the conclusions of the relevant study of the Cyprus Economy and Competitiveness Council.
It includes investments and reforms to expand the productive base by strengthening the primary and secondary sectors of the economy, improving competitiveness and the business environment, by supporting mainly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), diversifying and strengthening the tourism product, modernizing public administration and local authorities, reform and improve the efficiency of the judiciary, fight corruption and enhance transparency, enhance research and innovation, and the resilience of the financial sector and fiscal situation.
4th Axis: Towards a digital age.
The main goal of this axis is to bridge the differences and to ensure the digital transformation of Cyprus, without exclusions and through adequate access to communication infrastructure for all citizens.
This will be achieved by providing 5G mobile and fiber optic network coverage for 100% of the population, including the development of 5G mobile telephony along major terrestrial corridors and universal and affordable Gigabit connectivity across all urban and rural areas.
The axis is a fundamental part of the overall policy for the digital transformation of Cyprus, promoting a new economic model with a vision for a dynamic and competitive economy, based on knowledge and digital and emerging technologies.
Axis 5: Employment, social protection, education and human resources.
The fifth axis focuses on the development of the required skills and competencies in the existing and future workforce, so that it responds effectively to the demands and trends of the modern labor market, according to its current and future needs, including those arising from the green and digital transition. The proposed reforms and investments are in line with relevant European initiatives and priorities.
The axis also includes reforms and investments to address labor market weaknesses related to the need to facilitate market entry, especially for women with children, to improve the availability and access to early childhood education and care, and to create a network of childcare facilities. It also aims to increase employment for young people outside of work, education or training (NEET).
C. ECONOMIC IMPACT.
For the implementation of the “Cyprus – tomorrow” Plan will be utilized:
A. The 1.2 billion euros provided for in the Recovery and Sustainability Plan.
B. The 1.8 billion euros provided for the same period by the Cohesion Funds, through the THALIA Program.
C. The 1.4 billion euros that, according to the impact study, will result from private investment or public-private partnerships.
D. While, the annual expenditures of the next budgets will be adjusted and distributed according to the axes of the new development model.
Therefore, the total amount for the implementation of the Program for the period 2021-2026, amounts, not counting the expenditure of the annual budgets, to 4.4 billion euros.
As a result of implementing only the Recovery and Resilience Plan, amounting to 1.2. will benefit the whole economy and society as, in addition to the projected increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), an additional percentage of 7% will be added, while, from the implementation of the 11 thousand new, well-paid jobs.
Not counting the new jobs that will be created and the impact on GDP from the remaining amount of 3.2 billion euros included in the “Cyprus – Tomorrow” Plan.
