Only salaries for the reform of Local Government cost the taxpayer millions a year, since day by day those who warned that the changes decided by MPs and approved in the Plenary of the Parliament left large gaps and would cause serious problems and additional costs are confirmed.

The examples are enough. From garbage fees and indebted former municipalities, to deputy mayors and their responsibilities, which are "ignored" from the very first day they assume office, until today.



Indeed, the Minister of the Interior himself, Constantinos Ioannou, had warned about them before the implementation of the reform, however, at the time, no one in Parliament... He did not find the time to deal with the gaps.

Today, a few months after the implementation of the Local Government reform, the problems are not only visible but have already begun to affect not only the daily lives of citizens, but also their pockets.

On the other hand, the parties, which probably bear the greatest share of responsibility for most of these gaps, started meetings in the Parliamentary Committees to find solutions to problems caused by their own decisions and could, even in the last and before the implementation of the reform, prevent them.

The latest example of the mess they have caused is the debates on the duties and responsibilities of the 93 deputy mayors, who, in most cases, although they are paid heavily, do not offer, not because they do not want to or because they are incompetent, but because when they voted for the legislation the parliamentary parties did not provide for specific tasks.

€2.6 million per year

As a result, today the taxpayer pays millions a year for the salaries of 93 deputy mayors who do not have office. Their number should not exceed 20.

According to official data obtained by "F", the cost for the salaries of the 93 deputy mayors amounts to €2.6 million per year or €206,000 per month, with their monthly salaries starting from €773 and reaching up to €3,223, depending on municipalities and number of voters.

In particular, 22 of the 93 deputy mayors are paid per month with the highest amount, which amounts to €3,223. These are the four deputy mayors of Nicosia Municipality, the three deputy mayors of Lakatamia Municipality, the deputy mayor of Strovolos Municipality, two of Limassol Municipality, four of East Limassol Municipality, three of Larnaka Municipality, one of Paphos Municipality and four of Paralimni – Deryneia Municipality.

On the contrary, the lowest salaries, with €773 per month, are received by five deputy mayors of the Municipality of Lefkara.

See in detail the tables with the payroll of deputy mayors per municipality: