CYPRUS: Three neighbouring Nicosia municipalities to merge into one

President Nicos Anastasiades has revealed the government’s plans to merge the municipalities of Ayios Dhometios, Engomi and Aglandjia into one, essentially creating a Municipality of Greater Nicosia.

Talking at the opening ceremony of the new building which is to host the Nicosia Municipality offices, President Anastasiades said that by merging the four municipalities, Nicosia will become a “development center for all of Cyprus”.

He added that the current municipalities will be adequately represented in the new municipal structure.

The Ministry of Interior has been pushing for a consensus from municipalities and communities on reform and reorganization of local government with the merger of municipalities and/or the integration of their services for some time now.

Interior Minister Constantinos Petrides has stressed on several occasions that the scheme is to see municipalities save tens of millions of euros which can be channeled into elevating the quality of service.

In earlier comments on the issue, Petrides said that any savings made from the unification of municipalities and communities will not find their way into state coffers but will remain at the municipalities disposal to use as they see fit.

According to Petrides, the aim is to cut the number of municipalities by almost 50%, reducing their number from 30 to a maximum of 16, and replacing community authorities which today number 380 with some 40 autonomous administration authorities.