The Mayor of Larnaca Andreas Vyras gives detailed clarifications regarding recent publications regarding the publication of the Special Report of the Audit Service, on the subject “Special Report of Audit Findings of Local Self-Governing Authorities – Municipality of Larnaca for the years 2015 – 2016 as well as data for the years 2017 – 2020”.
In a written announcement, the Mayor of Larnaca, Andreas Vyras, states that a large number of the findings of the specific report have concerned the current Municipal Council and similar decisions have already been taken to resolve them.< /p>
With reference to the matter concerning the Mackenzie area, it is stated that the Municipality of Larnaca is in constant consultation with the Guardian of Turkish Cypriot properties “to resolve the ownership status and their licensing”. At the same time, the amount of the debts of each property is calculated by the Guardian “and will be required upon the completion of the investigation”. financial statements from a Chartered Accountant in Athens showing the financial management of the apartments.
Additionally, according to the Mayor's announcement, in the same Report it is stated that an independent approved appraiser was appointed in Athens, who estimated the current value of the apartments “which was recognized for the first time in the financial statements of the Municipality of Larnaca in 2017 based on the International Accounting Standards”.
Regarding how much of the 90 thousand pounds, the Mayor states that the Audit Service “recognizes the actions taken by the Service and the Municipality of Larnaca in the year 2017 and 2018 to collect how much”.
It is added that the Municipal Council, by its decision, proceeded with the sale of three of the four apartments of the legacy in Athens, where their transfer is pending, while the sale of the 4th is pending “because after three publications for its sale, it remains unsold”.< /p>
It is noted that for the minimum sale prices of the apartments, estimates were requested from approved Appraisers in Greece. Regarding the property (plot) in Larnaca, the Municipality is considering ways of utilizing it.
Regarding the property of the Municipality of Larnaca on Athens Avenue, the Municipal Council proceeded to estimate the rent price from an approved House of Appraisers. “The market rent price received by the Municipality of Larnaca from an approved appraiser is lower than the amount the Municipality collects today,” the announcement states.
Regarding the Theatre, it is reported that the current Municipal Council in 2017 managed and secured the approval of the Ministry of the Interior to complete its purchase that had been started by the previous Municipality, while at the same time the Ministry pointed out in a letter that no additional approval is required for the payment of the loan , “something which the Audit Service very rightly pointed out in its Report”.
“After approval by the Ministry of the Interior, the Municipality of Larnaca proceeded through the Land Registry to transfer the Theater in the name of the Municipality, while at the same time the Municipal Council proceeded with special regulations regarding its management and rental in the city's Theatrical Format”, it is noted .
The announcement also mentions the construction and operation of the multi-storey parking lots and it is noted that the Municipality of Larnaca “has withheld a guarantee from the construction company in excess of 1.3 million euros and the case is before the courts”. .
Regarding the failure to prepare an interim evaluation report of the contractor's performance for a project and the non-activation of the procedure to terminate his contract for a specific project, even though the contractor did not meet his contractual obligations, “the Municipal Council of Larnaca, proceeded on 30/12/21 at the termination of the contract”.
It is noted that the Municipality retained a guarantee of €292,000 from the contractor and that the Municipal Council proceeded immediately to request public tenders for the completion of the project.
It is reported that the specific offer was approved “because, amid the rapid increase in raw materials and energy due to the pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian War (April 2022), the cancellation and re-announcement of the tender would further increase the budget and further delay the implementation of the project with a significant loss of income from the rents of the shops”.
For the sale of the Municipal Property (former Municipal Building) on Athens Avenue, it is reported that the current Municipal Council annulled a mutual consent with the buyer through a court, the agreement between them and the Municipality returned the amount of the advance payment received minus the revenue it lost for as long as the property was not managed.
Regarding the case of issuing a check to a relative of a Municipality employee instead of himself, the matter was investigated by an independent investigating officer (outside the Municipality for reasons of transparency) and a legal opinion was obtained as the prescribed procedure and will soon be brought before the Municipality's Disciplinary Committee.
In relation to the fixed assets count, the Municipality appointed an independent approved Audit House which proceeded with the preparation of a report.
In the announcement, the Mayor of Larnaca, Andreas Vyras, states that the comments in the Exhibition are welcome because this is how the work of the current Demot can be seen of the Council and at the same time, through the findings that are identified, the continuous improvement of the procedures is achieved.
