In a letter to the Minister of the Interior, the Municipality of Geroskipou and the Community Councils of Konia and Timi have proposed the merger of the Municipality of Geroskipou with the neighbouring communities, with the aim of establishing a municipality in Eastern Paphos, a proposal that was also communicated to the parliamentary parties.

The letter, which was sent on 24 January, categorically rejects the Ministry of the Interior’s proposal for a merger with the Municipality of Paphos and sets out the reasons why the creation of a municipality in Eastern Paphos is preferred, a proposal that has the approval of the elected councils and the acceptance of the local community. As is also pointed out, the merger of the Municipality of Geroskipou with the adjoining communities upholds and secures the main objectives set by the study on the mergers, namely:

• “to be financially viable and administratively and financially self-sufficient”,
• “to ensure the necessary economies of scale for the effective and efficient provision of quality services to citizens”, and
• “the democratic representation of citizens in the decision-making bodies”.

The Municipality of Geroskipou and the Community Councils of Konia and Timi look forward to a revision of the Ministry of the Interior’s planning and to the adoption of their own consensual and well-documented proposal.