Demetriou pledges parliament’s support for fire-hit regions during visit

House President Annita Demetriou on Sunday said parliament was there to support communities in the mountainous regions of Larnaca in their efforts to restore areas affected by devastating fires last summer.

Speaking during a visit to the Bee Festival in Ora, Demetriou said the mountain villages were in great need being brought back to life after catastrophic fires last summer.

“We really hope that the region manages to return to the prosperity it had before, because these are unique villages in terms of the wealth of beauty,” she said.

She said she had gone to the bee festival to talk to locals to see what more parliament could do to strengthen efforts to restore affected areas more quickly.

“In order for the region to return to what it was, it takes time, it takes a coordinated effort. The state has responded but much more needs to be done,” she said.

“As the House of Representatives we will always be here. Precisely because these villages have a uniqueness, we need to protect them and strengthen the effort of the residents to restore the area.”

Demetriou praised the effort of the ‘Phoenix’ group, an initiative of young and experienced people who work together to be able to resolve the issues that arose after the fires.

“The situation is already better but it takes time,” she added.
Mayor of Oras, Aristos Miltiadou said: “A year after the catastrophic fires we are moving forward with patience, to see how we can green our land again.”

Phoenix’s Giorgos Anagiotos said the goal was to gather resources “and slowly restore and make up for what happened”.

“People respond but it takes a lot of effort and we have to convince the public that this goal can be achieved.”