The government will soon announce incentive schemes for young people to build houses in rural communities, President Nikos Christodoulides said on Tuesday.

Christodoulides was speaking from the event held on the occasion of the recording of the traditional song ‘Arodafnousa’ as a Unesco cultural heritage held at Choulou, the birthplace of the president’s father. The event was organised by the Community Council of Choulou and the Cultural Association ‘O Rigas’.

During his address, he reminded the public that the financial difficulties youth face to build their own house in the city were highlighted during his election campaign and measures to address this are high on his agenda.

To this end, the interior ministry is expected to announce specific plans to encourage young couples to build their homes in communities such as Choulou, which is 20 minutes from Paphos, the president said.

“This is an election commitment which, I repeat, will be implemented in the very near future,” he declared.

He also recommended to the local authority, especially as part of the local government reform, to come up with a specific proposal for the establishment of a heritage museum in the community that will showcase its importance but also that of the neighbouring villages.

Thanking everyone for their presence at the event, Christodoulides referred to the community leader Socrates Terpizis as a ‘friend’ and also thanked the community for the high percentage of votes they gave him during the recent presidential elections.

To stress his special ties with the community, the president also made special reference to his uncle Loukas who attended the event and mentioned that his grandparents are buried in the village.