Filenews 22 June 2024
In the course of the implementation of the Local Government reform, the payrolls of the five presidents of the District Self-Government Organizations (EDAs) may have been promoted more than the work they will produce, but this is also due to the fact that these salaries are around €80,000 per year, while the minimum wage has been set at €940 per month.
However, the time has come for the EDAs to operate and what is now more important for the citizen is the role of the president and director of each EDA, as well as the services that these agencies will provide, since their action will have a positive or negative impact on everyone's life and daily life. And this influence concerns not only the quality of the services provided, but also whether bills will deflate or move upwards.
What we have all heard more or less but perhaps forgotten in the course of time and in the course of implementing the reform of Local Government is that the EDAs will issue planning and building permits, while, at the same time, they will manage water supply, sewerage and Household Waste Disposal or Recovery sites (garbage collection remains in the municipalities).
Theoretically – and provided that everything goes as planned – the EDAs will tidy up the sectors that already existed and which they undertake to manage (from 1 July) at all levels. It is easily understood that even if problems arise in the beginning until the mechanism of each EDA is launched, in the process specialization, the overall treatment of the issues that arise (and not the piecemeal one with the involvement of various services – municipalities, districts, the state, etc.) will bring about better organization and reduction of operating costs. This, always in theory, because it remains to be seen in practice what will emerge.
What tormented and still torments many people, in the sense that they were suffering, concerns planning permits and building permits, whose applications in some cases were time-consuming. Already, 35,000 applications are pending in municipalities and urban planning.
At the initiative of the Ministry of Interior (through the Department of Town Planning) in cooperation with ETEK, the procedures have already been simplified and measures in this direction are still being taken. Among the measures being promoted is the abolition of obtaining planning permission for small developments, which means, however, more work by architects and politicians to whom citizens assign jobs, since they will no longer be able to easily shift the responsibility for any delays onto the Town Planning Authority or the municipalities.
Besides, the single authority in water supply (each EDA) will bring about better planning in water disposal, in the execution of infrastructure projects, in the service of the citizen, etc. The same is expected to happen with the operation of a single sewerage system.
Of course, among the goals is to reduce the operating costs of the above services, which, at least theoretically, will bring about a reduction in bills. However, since unrealistic expectations should not be raised, it must be said that increases in bills are not excluded, at least in the early stages.
The role of chairmen and directors
But what is the role of each EDA president or regional governor, as we wrongly call him?
The President of the Council therefore has the following powers:
(a) Represents the Council in all its official relations and before the Courts and any Authority of the Republic.
(b) Direct the actions of the Council for the implementation of its plans and programmes.
(c) Prepares the agenda of Council meetings and convenes such meetings.
(d) Chairs the meetings of the Council, of the committees of which he is a member or attends their meetings.
(e) implement the decisions of the Council, through the Director-General;
(f) Signs or authorizes any employee of the Council to sign any license or document granted or issued on the basis of this Law etc.
(g) Sign the minutes of Council meetings
(h) Exercise any other authority or authority assigned to him under the provisions of this Law.
The members of the EDA Council have the following responsibilities:
>> They participate in the meetings of the Council and the committees of which they are members and are not unduly absent from the sessions.
>> Perform their duties diligently, express their opinions freely, vote according to their conscience and observe the principles of legality and good administration.
>> Respect and safeguard the rights of all residents of the area concerned, without discrimination against any person.
>> Declare any personal or family interest relating to matters of the Council and shall abstain from a meeting at which a decision is discussed or taken if they or their relatives up to the fourth degree, by blood or marriage, or persons with whom they have a special relationship or acute enmity, have a material or moral interest.
And what role does the Director-General of the EDA play? This issue concerned both the parliament and citizens since there was concern about any involvement of the president at the feet of the director and vice versa:
The legislation therefore provides that:
The Council appoints the Director-General, who is the chief executive officer of the Provincial Self-Government Organisation, following a vacancy advertisement, under a contract governed by private law, which may be renewed.
The Director-General shall:
(a) Supervise the services of the Council, which it guides, directs and controls.
(b) Order the recovery of the Council's revenue and issue money orders against budgets or appropriations.
(c) Exercise any other duties or duties assigned to him under the provisions of this Law.
Are citizens mere spectators?
And will citizens be mere spectators to the EDA's action? According to the legislation, residents and local bodies, within the boundaries of each District Self-Government Organization, may submit memoranda and/or questions to the relevant Council and request information. In addition, they may request information on any decision of the Council and/or matters falling within its competence, etc. The Council concerned shall respond to requests made within 30 days.
In addition, a group of at least 30 residents and local bodies may submit written proposals to the relevant Council to resolve problems related to the exercise of its competences and powers and interested parties are informed of the relevant decisions taken at its meeting.
At the same time, the decisions of the relevant Councils are posted on the EDA's website.
The projects to be implemented by the EDAs
(i) Construction, maintenance and operation of water supply systems.
(ii) Construction, maintenance and operation of sewage systems for wastewater and rainwater.
(iii) Construction, maintenance and operation of waste management facilities.
For water supply as regards:
(i) The provision of appropriate and adequate water supply for domestic purposes.
(ii) The prohibition or regulation of the supply or use of water for domestic purposes.
