Filenews 13 May 2024 - by Nicoletta Kouroushi
More beautiful cities, upgraded infrastructure, more competitive businesses... Many are the benefits that Cyprus has gained through the Cohesion Policy of the European Union and even more are expected with the completion of the "THALEIA 2021-2027" Program, a program with positive effects on the growth of Cyprus' GDP by approximately 5.9% and on the increase of employment, with the creation of approximately 8,500 new jobs.
Under EU law, countries facing "natural and permanent obstacles" can receive funding from EU Cohesion Policy, with Cyprus being the first absorbing country and the first to sign a partnership agreement with the Commission in July 2022.
The total budget of the program, which concerns the period 2021-2027, includes a series of investments in the public and wider public sector, as well as several grant schemes and amounts to €1.81 billion, of which €969 million comes from the EU Cohesion Policy Funds, while the remaining €842 million constitute the national contribution.
The actions and developments of the program, some of which have already been completed and others are to be implemented, are part of policies aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of the economy, with particular emphasis on research and innovation, digitalization, entrepreneurship, energy, environment and local development, as well as supporting Employment, Education and Social Inclusion.
The projects of strategic importance of the program include the Expansion of the Land Information System, the Sustainable Development Plan of the Akamas National Forest Park, the Implementation of the "Pay as You Throw (PDO)" System with a prepaid bag, the Nicosia Perimeter Motorway and the Restructuring of Social Welfare Services.
Let's see detailed examples of important projects of the programme:
Creation of green space and recreation in the Old GSP
With the primary objective of transforming the landscape of the old GSP stadium into a green area in the heart of the city, easily accessible to citizens, in addition to the park, the project includes the construction of an open-air amphitheater, a multipurpose hall, cafes and other shops, as well as two underground parking levels that will be connected to the public bus network.
The idea behind the redevelopment is to remind the space of the old form of the old stadium, by creating constructions in the shape of old stadium stands, whose roofs will be covered with greenery.
With a budget of €22.6 million and an EU contribution of 60%, the project contributes to the upgrading of the urban environment, providing significant green space and recreation for Nicosia residents and visitors, while, at the same time, promoting sustainable urban mobility through the "Park & Ride" service.
"Save – Upgrade in Homes" scheme
The plan aims at the extensive energy upgrade of existing energy-intensive homes, in order to improve their energy efficiency, including the use of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and covers exclusively investments related to the purchase and installation of new equipment and materials.
With a budget of €70 million, the project subsidizes actions such as consulting services, thermal insulation of the house envelope, replacement of frames, installation of shading systems and installation and replacement of technical systems (such as solar, photovoltaic, air conditioners, storage batteries, automation, etc.).
Flood protection works in Greater Limassol
With a budget of €20 million, the project concerns the construction of a rainwater drainage system with a total length of 20.8 km and is part of the planning of the Sala for total flood protection of Greater Limassol, while it is expected to contribute substantially to the elimination of the flood problem in Limassol.
The project extends to all five municipalities located within the boundaries of the Sala (Limassol, Agios Athanasios, Kato Polemidia, Mesa Geitonia and Germasogeia) and most of it is being constructed on public roads.
Upgrading and electrification of public transport
With a project budget of €50 million, the project concerns the upgrading of infrastructure and the gradual transition to electrification of Public Passenger Transport fleets, the simultaneous production of electricity in an ecological way and the assurance of multimodality in transport.
The new and smart stands and canopies are constructed in a way that will provide protection from weather conditions, information to the public through state-of-the-art screens, smart lighting, Wi-fi and smartphone charging. They are also specially designed to be accessible by people with disabilities, while in addition there is an audio announcement for the arrival of the bus.
Significant contribution in the field of modernization-upgrading of Education
DRASE+ Actions
With a budget of €60 million, the program "School and Social Inclusion Actions+ (DRASE+)" aims to upgrade the education system of Cyprus, through the implementation of targeted educational programs.
The program began in the school year 2021-22, with the main purpose of mitigating the negative consequences of the economic crisis on education and is a useful tool for addressing contemporary problems and challenges, such as migration flows and the consequences of the pandemic, for the education system of Cyprus.
CUT School in Paphos
The aim of the construction of the CUT School in Pafos is the development and revitalization of the area, as well as the scientific upgrading of the sector and the interconnection of education with the needs of the labour market, with the consequent increase of the available trained staff for work in local hotel and tourist units.
In addition, with the strengthening of the student and academic community in the city, the conditions for intellectual, economic and social development and flourishing are formed, with dominant phenomena being extroversion and the opening of the local community both nationally and internationally.
Subsidy for tuition fees and meals for children
The main objective of the plan, with a budget of €27 million, is to provide quality care and education services for all children as their basic right. Specifically, the plan aims to strengthen families, especially families with young children, by subsidizing care services for dependent children up to 4 years old, through the direct payment to kindergartens of part of the monthly cost for their children's attendance.
"Evagoras" system
With a budget of €2.9 million, the project provides for the creation of the necessary infrastructure for the unified computerization and provision of e-government services in the municipalities of Cyprus.
More specifically, it concerns the design and implementation of a single, common, efficient and flexible technological infrastructure aimed at enhancing process automation, information management and utilization, as well as providing channels for publishing and optimizing service delivery.
