Filenews 6 September 2025 - by Ioanna Mantziapa
Turmoil prevails in the community of Moni in the Limassol district, following the decision of the Council of Ministers to assign a state plot of the area to the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare and the Social Welfare Services, in order to develop adolescent protection structures within the framework of the Recovery and Resilience Plan. This is a decision that finds both the residents and the Community Council vertically opposed, which now awaits the immediate intervention of the President of the Republic.
According to information from "F", the issue has caused intense upset to the Community Authority, which is reportedly under pressure, insults and even insults from indignant residents. Residents consider that the local authority bears responsibility for the implementation of the project – despite the fact that, as it is claimed, there has been no prior consultation or formal briefing.
The Community Council of the Monastery, according to the same information, has recently sent a series of letters to all the ministries and services involved, as well as to the President of the Republic himself, calling for the revocation of the decision. They argue, among other things, that the community was taken by surprise by the decision to grant the state land, while insisting that such a serious action should have been preceded by a dialogue with the local authority and the residents.
For the record, it should be mentioned that in October 2024, the Social Welfare Services sent a letter for opinions to the President of the Community Complex, i.e. to the community leader of the Chapel and not to the Community Council of the Monastery, with the members of the Council feeling that they were bypassed by the whole process.
In a letter sent on July 23 to the Minister of the Interior, the Community Council of the Monastery, in coordination with the Community Complex, clarifies that it is vertically opposed to the construction of the structure and emphasizes that the responsibility for any problems that arise from its operation will lie exclusively with the state services involved. For its part, the Ministry of the Interior replied that the matter was forwarded to the Director of the Department of Cadastre and Surveying, due to competence.
According to information from our newspaper, the state plot that was granted has an area of 2,728 square meters and is adjacent to the residence of a family that is facing serious health problems, both the parents and one of the children. In addition, on the north side of the plot, there are residences where elderly people live.
The community expresses strong concern about the choice of this location, arguing that the operation of juvenile accommodation facilities in a residential area may cause harassment, anarchy and delinquent behaviour, causing disruption to residents.
The Community Authority, with a new letter, this time to the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, asks for the immediate cancellation of the project and states that it expects an answer from him personally. "F" contacted the President of the Community of Moni, Georgios Evripidou, who confirmed the enormous social upheaval and the pressures he is under from a portion of residents.
As he said, he expects the President of the Republic to take a position on the issue, expressing his appreciation for the crisis and his sensitivity to issues concerning the social cohesion of local communities.
The issue of accommodation facilities is lighting fires
The issue of the creation of accommodation spaces for minors – adolescent children is an issue that has been a concern of the State and the respective governments for years. For the record, we mention that during the previous government, it was decided to create a reception center for unaccompanied children in the community of Zygi, with the community leader reacting strongly. Later, there was information about the creation of a structure at the Paphos KEN, where there were again reactions. The same scenario took place in Lakatamia, followed by an uprising of the residents of Latsia and Geri in November 2023, after the intention expressed for the construction of a structure within the boundaries of these areas.
The government's intention to build structures for the protection of minors in the area of Sfalagiotissa of the Municipality of Amathus during the years 2023 and 2024 has also evolved into a serial with strong reactions, public criticism and positions on both sides. In fact, the residents of the area, as well as the citizens of the Municipalities of Germasogeia and Agios Athanasios, came to a peaceful protest event.
