Filenews 2 January 2021
Article by Interior Minister Nikos Nouris in the special edition of liberal: "The next day – How we proceed"
The pandemic crisis has changed the world. A virus can ultimately shock not only a country's health system, but overnight, bring serious socio-economic consequences. Implications, which change the priority of entire states and awaken the reform of entire systems.
We are experiencing the aftermath of a major health crisis, which has brought states and governments face a great test.
2020 was a challenging year. A landmark year after being the starting point for major changes and changes in the planning of the state's portfolios.
In view of the large gaps created by the pandemic, we are implementing solidarity policies that support the citizen. For the Home Office, 2021 is the year it is called upon to maximise policy measures, within its re competence, that will provide relief to citizens, especially young and vulnerable groups of the population.
Despite the budgetary difficulties, we remain focused on 'investments' that put people at the centre. To encourage development activities aimed at building a better and more resilient society for the citizen.
Already with the announcement of the Ministry's budget for 2021, it is clear that we have adjusted our activities and, by extension, our expenditure, so that we can successfully respond to the challenges that the country and its citizens face.
Local Government is for us one of the most important pillars in which we invest, as the citizen is directly assisted and served. A large part of the budget is being promoted for the implementation of major development and infrastructure projects, and a large share is being taken, in addition to urban and rural and peri-urban areas, which demonstrates the importance attached to rural development and to the assistance of the citizens living there. The revitalization of the capital's urban centre is one of the visions that is now being wheeled around, laying the foundations for its revival and development in the new year.
Of exceptional importance is the housing plan covering mountainous and disadvantaged areas, offering housing opportunities mainly to young people, with particular reference to the areas of Troodos, Akamas and Telecommunications. It is typical that, on the basis of differentiating integration criteria and new incentives, with the revised plan implemented from 1 January of the new year the Communities benefiting will be almost twice as large as the existing plan.
The Government's interest in the refugee world remains unchanged. Our housing refugee policy is distinguished by a multitude of supportive actions and actions. The Department for Care and Rehabilitation has in recent months made a large number of requests for displaced persons in the housing policy plan, and despite the economic tightness, we are giving additional credits next year to directly benefit beneficiaries amid the pandemic crisis.
In addition to housing and subsidies, a huge effort is underway to assess the suitability of refugee settlements in order to move forward with solutions for improvement and support projects in the new year.
By adapting our policies to the specific circumstances that the pandemic has created, we have drawn up a number of urban incentive plans either to legitimise arbitrariness and minor irregularities, to change usage between housing and offices, or by granting an increase in the building factor to enable the issue of title deeds. For the same reason, we have prolonged until the end of 2021 the duration of existing projects that have been widely exploited by citizens, with the aim of encouraging and helping development in areas most affected by the pandemic, such as tourist zones, and for exactly the same reasons we have tabled in the House the Bill to facilitate the authorisation of large investments.
In order to better serve the citizen, we continue to create more simplified procedures that will "ting" bureaucracy and serve citizens faster and more effectively. The planning licensing reform, which came into force in October 2020, is merely the beginning of other arrangements, in the context of the implementation of government policy, aimed at speeding up development authorisation procedures and promoting transparency.
The pandemic challenge remains on the Ministry's agenda for 2021. Covid-19 is a test of strength and strength for us. With innovative actions and reactions we want to contribute to improving the quality of life of the citizen, but also the services to him. And that's what we're going to do.
I hope that in 2021 a new page will be opened, through which health, progress and prosperity will be generously given to all citizens.
