Appeal to the President of the Republic to withdraw the referral of the laws on the Reform of Local Government
Statement by AKEL MP Aristos Damianou and Chairman of the Parliamentary Internal Affairs Committee
30 March 2022
As we all know, after 10 years of discussions, obstacles and reflections, it was possible, through a difficult and laborious effort with the cooperation of the Internal Affairs Committee, the entire House of Representatives, the Executive Power, the Union of Municipalities, the Union of Local Communities and many other bodies, approved the Reform of Local Government. This Reform is not the sum total of the convergences of all those affected, but it is the lowest common denominator.
We too as AKEL have had, and continue to have, disagreements with a number of provisions of the Reform. However, we have seen the big picture. And the big picture says that Cypriot society needs this Reform. Local government itself needs it in order to serve people, rather than be an inconvenience.
The referral of the President of the Republic unfortunately (of the law approved) opens a can of worms – not to say a Pandora’s box – because a number of those affected who also disagree with aspects of the reform, with scenarios of amalgamations, merging into boroughs, are now legitimised both morally and politically to reopen and raise once again these issues, which ended with the adoption of the law.
At the same time, I regret to note that a number of the arguments contained in the referral itself are politically incorrect and legally unsubstantiated. I want to give an example.
The President of the Republic claims in the referral that the determination of administrative boundaries, the determination of municipalities and communities in general, is the responsibility of the Executive. Well, if that were true, then why did they sit in Parliament and expect Parliament, to which they made repeated appeals, to pass the reform? It is obvious that the legislative framework is voted on by the Legislature.
Secondly, if the Government’s argument were to be accepted, namely that it is their responsibility and that changing the government’s scenarios is unconstitutional and politically unacceptable, in the same and similar way I really wonder why the Government isn’t protesting at the creation of the new Aradippou Municipality, which was in violation of the Government’s scenarios, putting further strains on the budget and obviously the same logic should have applied, as the new Municipality of Polis Chrysochous and the new Municipality of Akamas renamed the Municipality of Peyia should have been judged by the referral?
Therefore, the lack of documentation leads us to the conclusion that there were other reasons for the President’s referral, which are evidently related either to serving political considerations or to any other selfish interests.
Furthermore, as we were involved in an arduous procedure to get the Reform passed, I would like to take this opportunity to issue a strong appeal to the President of the Republic – as Chairman of the Internal Affairs Committee, as one of the many people who worked together to get this Reform passed – to think twice and more wisely. He should withdraw the referral in order to limit the legitimate reactions of others who also disagree with merger scenarios and we should proceed immediately with the process of implementing the Reform. It’s a difficult effort that will take time. For AKEL, this is the big picture – to save what was passed and to get on the path of the Reform’s implementation in order to address the consequences of the day after.
I want to be honest. With the Government’s logic of challenging aspects of the Reform, no one can prevent any colleague from tabling bills the day after that will challenge scenarios to reopen a debate that should have ended with the Reform’s approval.
I therefore reiterate my appeal, in the wider public interest, for the good of local government, for the survival of the Reform intact, for the President of the Republic to withdraw this particular referral.
