Local elections:  Paphos prepares for fundamental changes (Updated)

Candidacies are being submitted for local elections in the Paphos district on Thursday, with the elections set to take place on June 9.

June’s elections will be the first to be held under Cyprus’ new system of local government, with new roles created and municipalities clustered and combined.

For the first time, each district, Paphos included, will have an elected governor. Paphos will also have four municipalities: the Paphos municipality, the Eastern Paphos municipality, the Western Paphos municipality, and the Polis Chrysochous municipality.

The reduced number of municipalities mean areas have been absorbed by larger municipalities. The Paphos municipality itself remains unchanged, but, for example, the Eastern Paphos municipality consists of the former Yeroskipou municipality and the villages of Ayia Marinouda, Acheleia, Konia, and Timi.

Municipalities are now divided into smaller sub-regions which each have their own deputy mayors.

Kostas Konstantinou submitted his candidacy to become Paphos’ district governor, saying the new local authority “needs a personality who has experience, responsibility, and the requisite efficiency to be able to accomplish this mission.”

Incumbent Paphos mayor Phedonas Phedonos submitted his candidacy for re-election, asking voters “with a pure heart and clean hands” to “continue together what we have achieved together, to make Paphos the most beautiful, greenest, and most modern town in Cyprus.”

He also wished the people of Paphos a happy Easter. He is endorsed by Disy.

Paphos mayoral candidate Evros Loizides was the first major candidate to submit his candidacies, promising a “human-centred” campaign.

Loizides served for 10 years as a town councillor. He is a member of Diko, and is endorsed by his own party, Akel, and Edek.

Elsewhere, incumbent Polis Chrysochous mayor Yiotis Papachristofi submitted his candidacy for the mayoralty of the new, larger Polis Chrisochous municipality.

He said that the incorporation of 13 new villages into the municipality will be a “great challenge”, and said he will give opportunities for young people to remain living in the area.

Later in the day, Nikos Palios submitted his candidacy for the Eastern Paphos mayoralty, calling on the area’s residents to make a “hopeful new beginning” and to “build something completely new, healthier, and more modern” in the new municipality.