Filenews 1 March 2021 - by Dora Christodoulou
The Integrated Spatial Development Strategy (OSA) of the Municipalities of Paphos and Geroskipou to claim funding for development projects from the EU Structural Funds in the framework of the 2021-2027 Programming Period was presented today by the two Local Authorities before the Evaluation Committee composed of representatives of the Ministry of interior and the Directorate-General for European Programmes, Coordination and Development (E.P.S.A.).
The presentation, which was made online due to the restrictive measures of the pandemic, was attended by the Mayors of Paphos, Phaedon Phaedon, and Geroskipou, Michalis Pavlidis, the scholars of the contractor consortium that prepared the Study and responsible officials of the two Local Authorities.
Mayors Phaedon Phaedon and Michalis Pavlidis developed the vision of the two Local Authorities on the basis of the Memorandum of Cooperation they signed last September on the development plan of the region over the next 10 years. The vision concerns the transformation of the Municipalities of Paphos and Geroskipou into a smart, innovative, extroverted and interconnected-single urban group, which has the critical spatial and population mass needed to strengthen their development prospects, focusing on attracting entrepreneurship and educational institutions.
The Strategy includes 92 development projects with a total budget of €205 million. This calls for EU funding for 39 projects with a total estimated expenditure of €97.5 million. These projects are part of four priority axes:
Smart City - Innovative Economy ( 17 projects - 22% of the total budget)
City Friendly with Social Person (41 projects - 35% of the total Budget)
City of History and Culture (16 projects - 19% of the total budget)
Green City (18 projects - 25% of the total budget)
The evaluation process for the Strategies submitted by the Local Authorities of Cyprus is expected to be completed by the competent Commission by May in order to take the relevant decisions.
