Cyprus President, Nikos Christodoulides underlined the importance of preserving the memory of the Turkish occupied territories, especially in a period of intensiv processes aimed at the resumption of talks, at the inauguration of Zodia Park on Thursday in Geri.
In his address, President Christodoulides referred to the role of such projects and assured residents and the local authority that they will have the support of the Government, making special reference to the problems related to the industrial zone.
The President noted that the park has a dual role, since apart from being a place of recreation and bringing the residents together, it refers by its name “to the currently occupied Zodia and keeps its memory alive, especially in a period of intensive processes that we hope will lead to the resumption of talks.”
He said that the naming of the park helps to preserve the memory of the children born after 1974 and the new generation, stressing that “if we forget our goals we will certainly not seek to achieve them, we will certainly not work for the resolution of the Cyprus problem.”
He went on to say that parks are a vital space for the well-being of citizens and provide a valuable breath of fresh air in our daily lives, a place where we can escape from stress and connect with nature, adding that the State must actively support such actions.
President Christodoulides identified bureaucracy as a major challenge in the promotion of projects. “I believe that through the reform of local government, the implementation of which is a major challenge for all of us, we will be able to address such challenges,” he said.
He added that important projects have been carried out that have upgraded Geri, having transformed it into ‘a modern municipality with all the necessary, functional infrastructure”, citing as examples the flood control works, modern bus stops, the lighting of the avenues and the upgrading of the road network of both the municipality and the industrial zone of Geri, in conjunction with the two new parks.
“Knowing that there is already planning for the implementation of new improvement projects, I want to assure you that the State will be by your side,” said President Christodoulides, addressing the Mayor of Geri. He also said that the Government has already put in place actions towards the creation of the Industrial Zone, and that he is aware of the need to build a stadium.
He also expressed hope that on the issue of the Pyroi-Athienou road, which concerns the Geri area, the Government will soon be able to announce results “in the direction we all want”.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
Source: Cyprus News Agency