No to super local authority, says Famagusta municipality

Citing political dangers linked with the Cyprus problem, Famagusta municipality and the district’s chamber of commerce said on Friday they opposed any changes as part of the local government reform that would replace the occupied town’s metropolitan role in the district.

Possible merging of all local authorities in the district into one, large Famagusta municipality would mean replacing the existing, occupied one, the municipality said.

“The city of Famagusta can in no case be replaced, as the metropolis of the district, by any other municipality or other entity” it added. Today, it said, “when Famagusta is under threat, and Turkey is relentlessly pursuing its illegal plans and unilaterally changing the status quo in our city, we consider it unacceptable for a debate to develop that will either imply or de facto lead to a formation that will replace the metropolitan role of the municipality of Famagusta.”

The creation of such a super-municipality entails political risks for as long as the political problem remains unresolved, and the metropolis of the district remains under occupation.

In a similar tone, the Famagusta chamber of commerce said that “some have written off occupied Famagusta and the rest of our occupied land for good.”

After the opening of the fenced city and the third invasion of Famagusta, it said, the possible merger of all local authorities into one “will unfortunately be the final blow” with Famagusta being erased soon.

The reform entails large-scale merger or clustering of communities and reducing municipalities from 30 to 17. Several local authorities, however, disagree with the proposed mergers and have put forward their own ideas.

Paralimni municipality is in favour of a single local authority in the free Famagusta district arguing this would make the largest in budget municipality as well as in territory, and the one with the greatest contribution to the country’s GDP.

Ayia Napa, Sotira and Liopetri, however, said they want a merger between them, while the Dherynia mayor had voiced opposition to joining the larger, richer local authorities of the district. According to the latest scenario, Dherynia is to merge with Frenaros and Acheritou. But five of the nine municipal councillors of Dherynia are currently campaigning in favour of a unified municipality. They even hoisted a banner in Dherynia calling for a unified municipality and an “end to political games”.