Neo Chorio community council resigns over planned merger

The entire community council of Neo Chorio in Paphos resigned on Tuesday in protest over the planned merger of their communities into a single municipal entity under Polis Chrysochous.

Its members had joined a large chorus of 13 protesting communities earlier this month, following the resignation in protest of Kritou Terra community leader Dervis Charalambous, deciding to follow in his footsteps.

Aside from Neo Chorio, other communities opposing the move are those of Pano Arodes, Theletra, Kathikas, Droushia, Androlikou, and Pano and Kato Akourdalia.

In a letter of resignation addressed to Paphos district administrator Mary Lambrou, the community leader and members of the council said they were displeased with the tabling and voting process of the bill on the matter, saying they consider it to be “a brutal insult to [their] intelligence and dignity”.

They also claimed that any suggestions from the communities, constituting the positions and opinions of the people who live there, were ignored.

The letter added that becoming part of the Polis Chrysochous municipality will be “disastrous” for the Neo Chorio community in the future, as the community council believes that any problems, or issues concerning progress and development within the community will be overlooked or delayed if they have to be addressed by a single municipal council dealing with similar issues that could arise in the wider area.

Finally, it informed Lambrou that the wish of everyone in their community is to remain in the cluster of communities, as was foreseen in the original merger plan.

Speaking to reporters, Neo Chorio community leader Andreas Christodoulou said that “this has been the last straw and has left us no other choice but to submit our collective resignation”.

“Unfortunately, we are neglected and no one understands us,” he said, adding that Neo Chorio has nothing to do with communities like Pomos or Nea Dimmata.