The role of the Commissioner for the Development of Mountain Communities in our community is a blessing for Trimiklini, but also more broadly for rural areas and communities, the community leader, Andreas Orfanos, told KYPE, emphasizing that the transfer of the building housing the Commissioner’s Office was carried out in accordance with the law and based on a unanimous decision by the community council.

Commenting on an open letter from the agricultural workers’ party “Agronomos,” regarding the terms of the community building’s transfer for the purpose of housing the Office of the Commissioner for the Development of Mountain Communities, Mr. Orfanos stated that, “the community council decided unanimously at its meeting on December 20, 2019, to grant the use of the building, following a request from the Government.”

He continued by saying that a letter to that effect was subsequently sent to the then District Governor of Limassol, who, on June 9, 2020, sent a letter approving the transfer of the building, “which was selected due to its geographical location and suitable infrastructure.”

In response to the party’s question regarding whether any rent is being paid or has been paid, the community leader pointed out that, “buildings constructed with state funding are not rented out, and according to the law, a Council is not a business entity, and the projects are carried out on a cost-recovery basis.”

“This particular building was inaugurated in 1994, by then-President Glafkos Clerides and cost 260,000 pounds, with the Council covering 10% of the cost and the remainder covered by the government,” he added.

Mr. Orfanos expressed the view that “there is no resident of Trimiklini who does not support the institution of the Commissioner, who has carried out so many projects for our countryside,” emphasizing that “the Commissioner’s role is a blessing for the countryside and Trimiklini.”

The presence of such an important government agency, he continued, “which deals with programs concerning the countryside, farmers, fire safety, and so much more—and which has implemented rural development programs totaling 470 million euros over the past decade—elevates our community.”

“The numbers speak for themselves, the projects speak for themselves—everything speaks to the importance of the Commissioner’s Office,” noted the community leader of Trimiklini, pointing out that it was thanks to the interventions of then-Commissioner Hambiaouris that, during the economic crisis and the bank closures, an ATM in the community, serving the entire region.

In addition, he said that one of the projects carried out with the Commissioner’s support was the daycare center, “which was subsidized by the state and serves 25–30 children, employs approximately [number] people, and serves the surrounding area.”

He also noted that, following the intervention of the Commissioner’s Office, the Council of Ministers revised its decision regarding the method for calculating the elevation of communities for the purpose of heating oil subsidies, his subsequent contribution to increasing the subsidy, as well as the work he carried out following last year’s devastating fires in the mountainous region of Limassol.

He also added that the support of the Commissioner for the Development of Mountain Communities is assured for projects planned by the community and to be subsidized by the state, such as the development of public squares, the market, the construction of new Council offices, and so on.

He also expressed satisfaction with the housing plans and incentives for young people to remain in their communities, citing, as an example, the fact that, while in 2007 there were 270 residents living in Trimiklini and three businesses operating there, “today we have 1,000 permanent residents and 50 businesses, while another 50 homes are under construction and just as many are awaiting building permits.”

Regarding the question raised in the letter from “Agronomos” about the services that operated in the building before it was transferred, Mr. Orfanos stated that previously “a community clinic had been operating there,” while noting that a private clinic has now been licensed to operate in the community under contract with the National Health System (GeSY).

Sources from the Office of the Commissioner for the Development of Mountain Communities confirmed to CNA the community leader’s statements, namely that the building was operated using public funds and that it was legally transferred without any provision for rent payments.

The same sources indicated that the building is maintained through the state budget, and studies are currently underway to upgrade its outdated electrical system.

READ ALSO: “All believers, come forth”: Pamporidis announces his candidacy for the DISY nomination and asks for support | AlphaNews

Source: CNA