Fixes to local government reform promised despite initial troubles

One year after Cyprus launched a major reform of local government, the interior minister on Tuesday admitted that although there were serious problems, the changes remain essential for the country’s future.

Minister Constantinos Ioannou described the reform as a “huge and demanding change” which started with many difficulties.

“From the moment we took over governance, we spotted gaps and mistakes, and we have been working ever since to fix them,” he said.

A key problem has been the challenges faced by some new municipalities created through mergers.

Ioannou said these mergers were carried out without fully considering expert advice or previous studies, causing significant difficulties on the ground.

He also raised concerns about the large number of deputy mayors. He said this creates an imbalance because their numbers are too high compared to the limited duties they actually perform.

Another issue, he said, was the failure of many municipalities, community clusters and district organisations to use the two-year transition period to prepare properly for the changes.

This has led to local authorities working at different speeds, even though they were all supposed to start on equal footing.

Despite the setbacks, Ioannou stressed that “no one disputes the necessity of the reform.”

He acknowledged the system’s weaknesses but said the new framework for local government is already “clearly better than the previous system” and will bring long-term benefits for society.

To improve how local authorities work, the government is in constant talks with district organisations, municipal and community unions, and the parliamentary committee on internal affairs.

“We are working every day and providing solutions to many problems so that we can secure the functionality and viability of the reform,” Ioannou said.

“Our ultimate goal,” Ioannou concluded, “is to upgrade the services provided across all areas of local government.”