Filenews 15 January 2022 - by Angelos Nikolaou
Since last Thursday, the apartment complex "Agios Nikolaos" in Chlorakas, where the majority of the Syrian refugees live, remains without water. Last Monday the health ministry handed over to the company that runs the complex a decision prohibiting the concession of water that is not in line with the law on the quality of water intended for human consumption.
Speaking to "F", the Minister of Health, Michalis Chatzipandelas, said that it has been verified that the complex has not reconnected the water supply of the apartments with the water supply network of the Chlorakas Council and that it continues to supply the apartments with water of unknown and dubious quality coming from an illegal source. He added that the owner company should supply the apartments with water from a tanker truck that holds certificates of suitability from the Ministry of Health. According to Mr. Chatzipandelas, the Ministry has a responsibility to provide all citizens with healthy and clean water.
It is noted that the Ministry of Health gave a deadline of three days for the submission of an objection. The company submitted an objection and at the same time sent a letter through a lawyer to the Minister of Health with an urgent request for a decree authorising the owner company of the complex to provide water for human consumption. Furthermore, they call on the Minister to set any conditions he wishes for an immediate solution to the problem that has been created.
The complex currently houses around 600 people, who rent or own apartments and residences. The owners of the complex, after talking about a state of emergency, submitted a request to the Minister until the examination of the objection, for the protection of public health, to exercise the powers allowed by law and to allow the water supply of water to the complex. Alternatively, they ask him to exercise his powers to the Chlorakas Council in order to provide water for human consumption to the complex that the owners can prepay, so that there is no concern on the part of the Council that unpaid bills will remain.
The letter to the Minister of Health states that the main problem facing the complex is the arbitrary interruption of the water supply by the commune of Chlorakas since 2018. According to the president of the community of Chlorakas, the company owes an amount of €150,000 as unpaid water supply fees from 2008 to 2018. For its part, the company denies that it owes these amounts and considers them fully paid.
On 17/11/2021, the Prefect of Paphos issued a decree pursuant to article 15 of the Roads and Buildings Law, which prohibits the use of the complex due to unsanitary conditions, i.e. the non-use of appropriate drinking water. According to the company's legal advisers, the decree is not immediately enforceable. According to them, the deadline for filing an appeal is 31/1/2021 and until then it will be filed.
UPDATE
The occupants of the Complex "Ag. Nikolaos" in Chlorakas, the vast majority of families of Syrian refugees, are to hold a peaceful event on Monday, January 17, at 11.00 a.m. outside the offices of the Paphos Water Development Department (Terminus Pluto, 8201 Geroskipou).
The refugees note that there are financial disputes between the Community Authority and the owners of the complex which they live in, which are before a competent court for a decision.
The Syrians are asking the authorities, and in particular the Director of the Water Development Department, until the Court takes its decisions, exercising its powers to temporarily reconnect the water. In such a case, they declare themselves ready to pay the costs of reconnecting and using the water in the apartments where they live.
According to article 19 of the Unified Water Management Law of 2010 (79(I)/2010), "the Director may, in exceptional cases, make agreements for the supply directly to authorised consumers of water intended for human consumption".
The 600 Syrian refugees residing in the "Agios Nikolaos" complex in Chlorakas condemn the violent incidents that took place on January 3, 2022 in Kato Paphos and the next day in Chlorakas.
At the same time, they consider it unfair for the authorities to blame them and to want to punish all refugees for the actions of certain individuals.
"Water deprivation is a violation of human rights and cannot be a tool either to resolve economic disputes or to force residents to leave their homes," they point out.
