MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING OF PAPHOS-GEROSKIPOU FOR PROJECTS WITH EUROPEAN FUNDS

 Filenews 24 September 2020 - by Dora Christodoulou

Memorandum of Understanding on the claim of funds for the financing of projects from the Funds of the European Union in the framework of the Programming Period 2021-2027, signed today by the Municipalities of Paphos and Geroskipou. At the same time, the Municipality of Paphos signed with a contractor the contract for the preparation of the necessary Integrated Spatial Development Strategy (ODS) of the two Local Authorities.

In statements following the signing of the Memorandum, Mayor Paphos Phaedon Phaedon described today as important for the two Municipalities, since with the joint proposal for a Strategy to be submitted at the end of October to the European Programmes Unit of the Ministry of the Interior for evaluation, projects and actions will be integrated and claimed for funding that will be implemented over the next seven years.

Mr. Phaedon recalled that the many projects carried out in the past five years have been largely financed by the same Community Funds for the corresponding period 2014-2020 and noted that the Municipality of Paphos has now acquired valuable experience and know-how. This, combined with the efficiency we showed, he added, contributed to the fact that the Municipality of Paphos has built a very good name.

"Now we will try to make basic infrastructure projects in the Municipality of Geroskipou, so that Paphos can be enriched with new projects," said Mr. Phaedonos. "The vision is nothing more than what Europe has, namely the shift towards new technologies, towards digitisation and the smart city."

At the same time, Mr Phaedon sent the message that those who very easily criticise the European construction must be aware that many infrastructure projects in our cities and in our country are based on the funding they receive from the EU.

The Mayor of Geroskipou Michalis Pavlidis noted that his Municipality had not been included in the European Structural Funds of the past seven years and noted that this year, thanks to his cooperation with the Municipality of Paphos, this inclusion has become possible. He added that the working groups have already been set up in the Municipalities of Paphos and Geroskipou, which together with the scholars will evaluate all the projects that should be done in their areas.

Speaking on behalf of the consortium of scholars, Athanasios Kefalas pointed out that it is fortunate that there is a very good example of strategy by the Municipality of Paphos during the 2014-2020 programming period and expressed the appreciation that their cooperation with the services of the two Municipalities will produce a positive result with a substantial impact on society, the population and the economic activities of the two Local Authorities.

After the signings, the Mayor of Paphos, accompanied by competent officials, toured with the team of scholars throughout the city, so that they could gain a concrete and clear picture of both the projects already carried out and those to be included in the Integrated Spatial Development Strategy, as well as the wider possibilities of the city.