Seven villages with fewer than twenty voters are set to take part in upcoming mayoral and community council member elections. The smallest number of voters has been registered in the Paphos village of Kourtaka with only three individuals set to vote.
– Candidacies were submitted for the most complex elections ever held in Cyprus, where people would be voting for Members of European Parliament and an unprecedented number of local government officials.
– There are 63 candidates for the six seats in the European Parliament and 3,232 candidates for the local authority elections, including school boards.
– The vote for local government includes voting for municipal councillors, a deputy mayor, a mayor, and a district governor.
– The introduction of an elected district governor was not in the government reform plans but was added by a party without clear justification.
– The reform of local government was recommended in 2013 due to the costly, inefficient, and poor service provided by the existing system.
– The creation of new municipalities was influenced by political parties’ interests in creating positions for their members rather than streamlining services.
– The reform turned into a farce due to horse-trading by parties, resulting in a costly system that may not address the waste of public money.
– The authorities of the district governor and mayors remain to be seen how they will be exercised.
Fact: Kissonerga village in Paphos was named the “Green capital of Cyprus” and won awards for its environmental initiatives, including the construction of a coastal path at a low cost.
Cypriots are pessimistic about the future, the economy, and geopolitical crises, but maintain trust in European institutions and the single currency. The two traditional political parties, DISY and AKEL, are expected to dominate the upcoming elections for members of the European Parliament, mayors, and councillors. DISY is in the lead for the election of the six MEPs with 20%, followed by AKEL with 19%.
The majority of the public who use the island’s citizens service centres (KEP) have reported being served within ten minutes, with more than 94% saying they were satisfied with the speed of service. Since the first KEP centre opened almost 19 years ago, they have executed 13.4 million individual actions in person and 5.5 million over the phone.
– A slew of illegal developments have taken place in environmentally protected areas across the country, including Natura 2000 sites.
– A politically exposed person in Sotira, Famagusta benefited from irregular procedures in obtaining a town planning permit for a tourism development.
– Holiday homes were constructed before all the necessary permits and approvals were granted.
– The most important habitat cave for the Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus was affected by illegal construction.
– Cyprus has been referred to the Court of Justice of the EU for its failure to comply with its obligations under the Habitats Directive.
– Concerns were raised over an illegal biological plant in Kalopanayiotis causing environmental pollution.
– A forest conservator is under investigation for illegal cattle farms within the Natura 2000 area.
– Requests by the Inia community for placing sunbeds and umbrellas at Lara beach were promoted illegally, despite objections by the fisheries department.
– Multiple fires occurred at the Geri-Dali recycling plant site and waste was not properly managed.
All firework licences have been revoked and no new firework licences will be issued until further notice. The decision was made due to the recent hot and dry weather conditions. A large fire broke out in the Ha Potami area, near the village of Kouklia in the Paphos district, caused by the launching of fireworks. The fire burned between four and five hectares of grassland and wild vegetation.
High dust concentrations are currently present in the atmosphere on April 26, 2024, based on data from the Air Quality Monitoring Network. The public, especially vulnerable groups, are advised to avoid outdoor activities until the dust levels decrease. Employers must assess risks to outdoor employees and provide appropriate protective measures. Hourly dust concentration values in various areas have been measured, with Nicosia having 98.7 μg/m3 and the daily limit value set at 50 μg/m3 for PM10 particles. For more information and updates, visit the website or mobile application.
Students at Cyprus University of Technology protested against the decision to relocate certain courses from Limassol to Paphos. The students, who have already rented accommodation in Limassol and work in the city, expressed concerns about the impact of the move on their logistics.
A flare and fireworks caused separate fires in forests in Cyprus at the end of April. Despite promises of having ten firefighting aircraft, the country only has one available. The lack of resources has led to a series of disasters and a history of negligence in firefighting efforts. The government’s failure to acquire necessary aircraft has put the country at risk for more devastating fires.