Βασός Βασιλείου
The possible pre-election collaborations will finally determine the outcome of the Local Government reform and the scenarios developed yesterday for the abolition of up to three municipalities (Deryneia, Geroskipou and Polemidia) may be shaken by any wider collaborations for the presidential elections. What passed yesterday, by a majority, of the Parliamentary Committee on Interior, is the addition to the 20 municipalities that are already being discussed, of another municipality, namely the Municipality of Aradippou.
The abolition of the three municipalities aims to reduce their number to 17 that the Government wants and so began the “cut-sew” to get the sum. In this context, the issue of abolition of the Municipality of Deryneia (with its integration in the Municipality of Paralimni) which is controlled by AKEL, which considers such a development a cause of war, was raised. The integration is supported by MPs from DISY, DIKO and DIPA.
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It is worth noting that based on the trend that is forming, AKEL loses the Municipality of Deryneia, which is integrated in Paralimni. DISY, DIKO and DIPA are said to favor the integration of Deryneia in another municipality.
Especially for the Municipality of Deryneia and without naming him, the AKEL MP, Aristos Damianou, stated that the party's position is that “the existing scenarios serve a balance that exists: Economic, geographical and political, in the national sense. And I am referring specifically to semi-occupied municipalities, which are provided in the scenarios and there are thoughts for differentiations “.
AKEL theoretically loses the Municipality of Ypsonas, which it hoped to win in future matches. At the same time, DISY literally adds the Municipality of Aradippou to the top five, which it considers a given that it will win.
At the same time, the possibility of integrating Geroskipou in the Municipality of Paphos is being considered, while in Paphos some communities that would be united in Pegeia, seem to be left out of the new schemes and it is not excluded to adopt the suggestion of Ecologists for Akama Municipality under Pegeia.
It is also questionable whether the Municipality of Strovolos will be united with Lakatamia (which is currently controlled by AKEL) or whether it will be united with the Municipality of Nicosia or even if it will remain autonomous.
According to the same information, an attempt not to integrate Aglantzia in Nicosia failed.
The scenarios that are set
Based on what is currently in force, scenarios for 20 municipalities or 21 if Aradipou is added, will be presented before the Plenary Session of the Parliament on February 24.
In order to obtain the number of 17 municipalities, out of the 20 proposed by the Parliament, three must be removed (Municipality of Deryneia, Municipality of Geroskipou and the Municipality of Polemidia). If Aradippou is added to the 17, the number will increase to 18, so in order to balance the situation, Strovolos will have to be merged with another municipality. But even if nothing is changed with Strovolos and the municipalities are formed at 18, many say that the government “will not burn the quilt for the flea”, in the sense that it will not torpedo the local government reform for an additional municipality, especially if he will favor the ruling party.
Of course, it should be noted that the above did not include pre-election expediencies or alliances and up to the current 24 the situation can be drastically different, meaning that AKEL and DIKO seem to find them for the presidency. Until the discussion of the three bills of the Local Government reform before the Plenary Session of the Parliament, the reactions from local actors are expected to intensify, which are influenced by the distribution of the municipalities or the integration of several communities in them. In fact, as we are informed, the messages from community leaders and mayors to MPs “gave and received” during yesterday's session.
Provision for holding local referendums
After its end, the chairman of the Commission, Aristos Damianou, stated that through the discussion and submission of specific proposals for a possible reduction of municipalities in all provinces, the issue of scenarios and the number of municipalities remains open. These are issues that will be the subject of Amendments in Plenary.
There have been significant convergences, mainly in additions to the scenarios themselves, to some communities, particularly in Paphos province, to make some municipalities more robust, more efficient and more economically viable, he said.
Concerns about a possible reduction of municipalities by parliamentary groups were expressed for all the provinces.
Regarding the issues in question, he stated that: “At present and in principle, the provision for holding local referendums is maintained. There are, he said, specific amendments, which define local referendums literally. That is, be local, per community or per city. “There is another approach that says that the referendums should be held per scenario and should concern the specific mergers, that is, if there are 20 municipalities, there should be 20 referendums and of course there is also the position for not holding referendums”.
On the issue of deputy mayors, he said that there is still provision for their election from the municipal districts, from which they come. Regarding the election of municipal councilors, he referred to “a significant addition to the debate, which”, as he explained, is being approved by the parliamentary groups of the parties. “This provision, in contrast to the existing system and in order to facilitate the election of candidates of smaller parties with lower percentages, provides that in the second distribution there will be no ceiling, nor the condition of occupying a seat by parties that had occupied a seat from the first distribution ».
DISY MP, Nikos Sykas, reiterated the positions of his party, expressing the hope that by February 24 the parties will be led to the Plenary with the maximum possible majority. He expressed the certainty that after the reform of the Local Government, other reforms will follow, which our country really needs.
The MP of Ecologists, Alexandra Attalidou, stood in the adoption of an amendment “which will make the distribution of councilors more democratic and will represent people who can come down as a group in each election.”
