The government must understand that if SME’s are not supported, they will close down
Statements by General Secretary of AKEL A.Kyprianou after meeting with POVEK Famagusta and representatives of small and medium sized businesses of Ayia Napa
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 9th June 2020, Nicosia
A delegation of AKEL headed by the General Secretary of the C.C. of the Party Andros Kyprianou, held a meeting today with the Famagusta branch of the General Pancyprian Confederation of Organisations of Professionals, Craftsmen and Shopkeepers (POVEK) and representatives of small and medium sized businesses of Ayia Napa. The AKEL delegation included AKEL Famagusta District Party Secretary Chrysanthos Zannettos, AKEL MP’s Nikos Kettiros and Christakis Tziovanis and AKEL Famagusta District committee member Yiannakis Gavriil.
At the end of the meeting, the General Secretary of AKEL made the following statements:
“We have listened very carefully to the problems that exist in the wider area of Ayia Napa, Protaras, as they have been outlined by the representatives of the various organizations. I must say that the tourist areas are facing particular problems and there needs to be specific, greater government support provided to these areas. Especially the areas of Ayia Napa and Protaras – Ayia Napa in particular – face more problems and peculiarities due to the fact that they do not have a big city near them so that the area can function all year round. It is 95% dependent on tourism and you realize that this fact creates additional problems and difficulties.
Our demand is that the Deputy Minister of Tourism visits the area, meets with the representatives of the organized groups/associations, listens to the problems and tries to provide solutions.
As far as we are concerned, next week we will organize in cooperation with the District Organization of AKEL Famagusta a conference on the problems of Tourism, with emphasis on the region to see how we can elaborate certain specific positions with which we will promote to the government with the demand that it takes measures to support the region. The government needs to understand that if businesses are not supported, they will close and shut down.
We have heard the views of those directly affected. The latest measures announced by the government are not going to be implemented, there is no interest. No one is going to take out loans to pay employees or rent. The government needs to understand that it must be much more generous when it comes to supporting small and medium-sized businesses, and especially on the issue of the rent.
We will reiterate that in our view there should be a division of the rents so that the state assumes a part of the cost, a part by the owner and a part by the tenant. I am very afraid that the law that has been passed by the majority of Parliament has worked negatively for this areas specifically. Therefore, all these issues must be considered with special attention by the government. I repeat, the Deputy Minister of Tourism must visit the region and discuss the region’s particular issues, so that we can provide solutions “.
