Array ( [PREVIEW_PICTURE] => Array ( [ID] => 66797 [TIMESTAMP_X] => 09.03.2025 04:30:04 [MODULE_ID] => iblock [HEIGHT] => 733 [WIDTH] => 1100 [FILE_SIZE] => 117361 [CONTENT_TYPE] => image/jpeg [SUBDIR] => iblock/d45 [FILE_NAME] => d452f8927cf3dd42b392be69dc3b574c.jpg [ORIGINAL_NAME] => Feature-Reveka-man-Nicosia-District-governor-Constantinos-Yiorkadjis-shakes-hands-with-Elikkos-Elia-at-the-House-on-Thursday-1.jpg [DESCRIPTION] => [HANDLER_ID] => [EXTERNAL_ID] => bcf9481c7f6632ae15205c5c3a24892b [~src] => [SRC] => /upload/iblock/d45/d452f8927cf3dd42b392be69dc3b574c.jpg [ALT] => «Заместители мэров борются за роль» [TITLE] => «Заместители мэров борются за роль» ) [~PREVIEW_PICTURE] => 66797 [ID] => 33917 [~ID] => 33917 [NAME] => «Заместители мэров борются за роль» [~NAME] => «Заместители мэров борются за роль» [IBLOCK_ID] => 2 [~IBLOCK_ID] => 2 [IBLOCK_SECTION_ID] => 2 [~IBLOCK_SECTION_ID] => 2 [DETAIL_TEXT] => Продолжающийся спор о роли заместителей мэров стал предметом обсуждения в парламенте. Вопрос увяз в обсуждениях количества заместителей, их стоимости и чрезмерной бюрократии.

В ходе прошедшей реформы муниципалитеты и общины были объединены в кластеры для оптимизации местного управления. Каждому муниципальному совету было обещано место заместителя мэра в обмен на потерю избранного лидера общины и пяти советников. Однако через несколько месяцев им сказали, что в них нет необходимости, и их следует упразднить.

В четверг, после того как заместители мэров создали координационный комитет для борьбы за свою роль в объединённых муниципалитетах, комитет внутренней политики парламента собрался, чтобы рассмотреть возможные поправки к законодательству о местном управлении.

Постоянный секретарь министерства внутренних дел Эликос Элиа заявил депутатам, что министерство проведёт тщательный анализ роли заместителей мэров и отверг идею «гибридной системы», при которой в одних районах есть заместители мэров, а в других — лидеры общин.

Председатель комитета внутренней политики Акелис, депутат от партии АКЕЛ, Аристос Дамиану подтвердил, что комитет рассмотрит этот вопрос в ближайшие недели.

Координационный комитет заместителей мэров снова встретится в понедельник днём в Мутайяке, а затем запросит встречи с комитетом внутренней политики парламента, парламентскими партиями, министерством внутренних дел и Союзом муниципалитетов, чтобы изложить свою позицию.

«Законопроект, представленный в парламент министерством внутренних дел, содержит много того, с чем мы согласны, однако его нужно улучшить», — сказал заместитель мэра Айиоса Афанасиоса, Лимасол Маринос Кириаку. Он добавил, что не верит, что кто-то будет их игнорировать, поскольку их реакция «оправданна».

Кириаку объяснил, как сейчас всё усложнилось. До реформы лидер общины решал проблемы быстро и просто «без всей бюрократии».

«Теперь, чтобы что-то сделать, если проблему нужно решить немедленно, письмо или электронное письмо должно быть отправлено в главный муниципалитет, пройти через архивы, на следующий день дойти до директора муниципалитета, затем отправлено мэру, который даст инструкции руководителю службы, а руководитель даст другие инструкции остальным, чтобы решить проблему!» — пожаловался он.

Кириаку также предположил, что некоторые общины были объединены с муниципалитетами, потому что у первых был доступ к побережью и, следовательно, они получали доход от развития туризма, которым теперь управляют муниципалитеты.

«Есть муниципалитет, у которого нет моря, но из-за общин, которые он сумел включить в себя, теперь у него есть море; это неправильно», — сказал он.

«Теперь они говорят, что заместителей мэров слишком много. Они подсластили пилюлю, чтобы заставить общины присоединиться к муниципалитетам, сказав, что у них будет заместитель мэра, голос и роль в муниципальном совете, а теперь они говорят, что их слишком много. Они серьёзно?» — спросил Кириаку.

Он также предупредил, что партии и правительство заплатят цену на следующих выборах.

«Правительство, депутаты, председатель комитета и другие говорят, что количество заместителей мэров чрезмерно. Но именно они за это проголосовали. Почему они тогда ничего не говорили? Потому что общины отреагировали бы и не объединились», — объяснил он.

Министр внутренних дел Константинос Иоанну в ноябре 2024 года признал, что около 90 заместителей мэров получают зарплату за счёт налогоплательщиков, хотя у них нет официальных обязанностей.

Во время заседания финансового комитета палаты представителей Иоанну пришлось признать, что закон, регулирующий новую систему местного управления, не определяет обязанности заместителей мэров.

В прошлом месяце заместители мэров четырёх муниципалитетов в более широком районе Лимасола встретились в Мутайяке, чтобы обсудить отсутствие указаний и обязанностей, касающихся их должности, и предложения по решению проблем, вызванных перестройкой местного управления.

Они заявили, что правительство и парламент должны признать их роль и назначить конкретные обязанности.

Примерно 50 заместителей мэров собрались на встрече 5 марта в Лимасоле, чтобы подтвердить своё требование о чёткой правовой базе, которая должным образом определяет их роли.

Заместители мэров, представляющие значительную часть из 93 ныне действующих по всему острову, стали активнее высказываться о том, что они считают путаницей и бесхозяйственностью, возникшими в результате недавней реструктуризации местного управления.

В авангарде движения находится Христос Папамайкл, заместитель мэра Ермиосии, который, размышляя о последних девяти месяцах, подчеркнул проблемы, с которыми столкнулись заместители мэров с момента введения реформы.

«Мы проявили терпение, но ситуация стала неприемлемой», — заявил он. «Сегодня мы подтверждаем нашу позицию и необходимость чёткой, юридически определённой роли. Неопределённость в действующем законодательстве только усугубила ситуацию, и теперь мы должны добиться, чтобы наш голос был услышан на самом высоком уровне». [~DETAIL_TEXT] => Продолжающийся спор о роли заместителей мэров стал предметом обсуждения в парламенте. Вопрос увяз в обсуждениях количества заместителей, их стоимости и чрезмерной бюрократии.

В ходе прошедшей реформы муниципалитеты и общины были объединены в кластеры для оптимизации местного управления. Каждому муниципальному совету было обещано место заместителя мэра в обмен на потерю избранного лидера общины и пяти советников. Однако через несколько месяцев им сказали, что в них нет необходимости, и их следует упразднить.

В четверг, после того как заместители мэров создали координационный комитет для борьбы за свою роль в объединённых муниципалитетах, комитет внутренней политики парламента собрался, чтобы рассмотреть возможные поправки к законодательству о местном управлении.

Постоянный секретарь министерства внутренних дел Эликос Элиа заявил депутатам, что министерство проведёт тщательный анализ роли заместителей мэров и отверг идею «гибридной системы», при которой в одних районах есть заместители мэров, а в других — лидеры общин.

Председатель комитета внутренней политики Акелис, депутат от партии АКЕЛ, Аристос Дамиану подтвердил, что комитет рассмотрит этот вопрос в ближайшие недели.

Координационный комитет заместителей мэров снова встретится в понедельник днём в Мутайяке, а затем запросит встречи с комитетом внутренней политики парламента, парламентскими партиями, министерством внутренних дел и Союзом муниципалитетов, чтобы изложить свою позицию.

«Законопроект, представленный в парламент министерством внутренних дел, содержит много того, с чем мы согласны, однако его нужно улучшить», — сказал заместитель мэра Айиоса Афанасиоса, Лимасол Маринос Кириаку. Он добавил, что не верит, что кто-то будет их игнорировать, поскольку их реакция «оправданна».

Кириаку объяснил, как сейчас всё усложнилось. До реформы лидер общины решал проблемы быстро и просто «без всей бюрократии».

«Теперь, чтобы что-то сделать, если проблему нужно решить немедленно, письмо или электронное письмо должно быть отправлено в главный муниципалитет, пройти через архивы, на следующий день дойти до директора муниципалитета, затем отправлено мэру, который даст инструкции руководителю службы, а руководитель даст другие инструкции остальным, чтобы решить проблему!» — пожаловался он.

Кириаку также предположил, что некоторые общины были объединены с муниципалитетами, потому что у первых был доступ к побережью и, следовательно, они получали доход от развития туризма, которым теперь управляют муниципалитеты.

«Есть муниципалитет, у которого нет моря, но из-за общин, которые он сумел включить в себя, теперь у него есть море; это неправильно», — сказал он.

«Теперь они говорят, что заместителей мэров слишком много. Они подсластили пилюлю, чтобы заставить общины присоединиться к муниципалитетам, сказав, что у них будет заместитель мэра, голос и роль в муниципальном совете, а теперь они говорят, что их слишком много. Они серьёзно?» — спросил Кириаку.

Он также предупредил, что партии и правительство заплатят цену на следующих выборах.

«Правительство, депутаты, председатель комитета и другие говорят, что количество заместителей мэров чрезмерно. Но именно они за это проголосовали. Почему они тогда ничего не говорили? Потому что общины отреагировали бы и не объединились», — объяснил он.

Министр внутренних дел Константинос Иоанну в ноябре 2024 года признал, что около 90 заместителей мэров получают зарплату за счёт налогоплательщиков, хотя у них нет официальных обязанностей.

Во время заседания финансового комитета палаты представителей Иоанну пришлось признать, что закон, регулирующий новую систему местного управления, не определяет обязанности заместителей мэров.

В прошлом месяце заместители мэров четырёх муниципалитетов в более широком районе Лимасола встретились в Мутайяке, чтобы обсудить отсутствие указаний и обязанностей, касающихся их должности, и предложения по решению проблем, вызванных перестройкой местного управления.

Они заявили, что правительство и парламент должны признать их роль и назначить конкретные обязанности.

Примерно 50 заместителей мэров собрались на встрече 5 марта в Лимасоле, чтобы подтвердить своё требование о чёткой правовой базе, которая должным образом определяет их роли.

Заместители мэров, представляющие значительную часть из 93 ныне действующих по всему острову, стали активнее высказываться о том, что они считают путаницей и бесхозяйственностью, возникшими в результате недавней реструктуризации местного управления.

В авангарде движения находится Христос Папамайкл, заместитель мэра Ермиосии, который, размышляя о последних девяти месяцах, подчеркнул проблемы, с которыми столкнулись заместители мэров с момента введения реформы.

«Мы проявили терпение, но ситуация стала неприемлемой», — заявил он. «Сегодня мы подтверждаем нашу позицию и необходимость чёткой, юридически определённой роли. Неопределённость в действующем законодательстве только усугубила ситуацию, и теперь мы должны добиться, чтобы наш голос был услышан на самом высоком уровне». [DETAIL_TEXT_TYPE] => html [~DETAIL_TEXT_TYPE] => html [PREVIEW_TEXT] => Продолжающийся спор о роли заместителей мэров стал предметом обсуждения в парламенте... [~PREVIEW_TEXT] => Продолжающийся спор о роли заместителей мэров стал предметом обсуждения в парламенте... [PREVIEW_TEXT_TYPE] => html [~PREVIEW_TEXT_TYPE] => html [DETAIL_PICTURE] => Array ( [SRC] => /upload/resize_cache/iblock/d45/600_400_1/d452f8927cf3dd42b392be69dc3b574c.jpg [WIDTH] => 600 [HEIGHT] => 399 ) [~DETAIL_PICTURE] => 66798 [ACTIVE_FROM] => 09.03.2025 04:30:00 [~ACTIVE_FROM] => 09.03.2025 04:30:00 [LIST_PAGE_URL] => /news/ [~LIST_PAGE_URL] => /news/ [DETAIL_PAGE_URL] => /news/society/deputy-mayors-fighting-for-a-role/ [~DETAIL_PAGE_URL] => /news/society/deputy-mayors-fighting-for-a-role/ [LANG_DIR] => / [~LANG_DIR] => / [CODE] => deputy-mayors-fighting-for-a-role [~CODE] => deputy-mayors-fighting-for-a-role [EXTERNAL_ID] => 33917 [~EXTERNAL_ID] => 33917 [IBLOCK_TYPE_ID] => news [~IBLOCK_TYPE_ID] => news [IBLOCK_CODE] => infoportal_news_s1 [~IBLOCK_CODE] => infoportal_news_s1 [IBLOCK_EXTERNAL_ID] => infoportal_news_s1 [~IBLOCK_EXTERNAL_ID] => infoportal_news_s1 [LID] => s1 [~LID] => s1 [NAV_RESULT] => [DISPLAY_ACTIVE_FROM] => 9 Марта 2025 [IPROPERTY_VALUES] => Array ( ) [FIELDS] => Array ( [PREVIEW_PICTURE] => Array ( [ID] => 66797 [TIMESTAMP_X] => 09.03.2025 04:30:04 [MODULE_ID] => iblock [HEIGHT] => 733 [WIDTH] => 1100 [FILE_SIZE] => 117361 [CONTENT_TYPE] => image/jpeg [SUBDIR] => iblock/d45 [FILE_NAME] => d452f8927cf3dd42b392be69dc3b574c.jpg [ORIGINAL_NAME] => Feature-Reveka-man-Nicosia-District-governor-Constantinos-Yiorkadjis-shakes-hands-with-Elikkos-Elia-at-the-House-on-Thursday-1.jpg [DESCRIPTION] => [HANDLER_ID] => [EXTERNAL_ID] => bcf9481c7f6632ae15205c5c3a24892b [~src] => [SRC] => /upload/iblock/d45/d452f8927cf3dd42b392be69dc3b574c.jpg [ALT] => «Заместители мэров борются за роль» [TITLE] => «Заместители мэров борются за роль» ) ) [PROPERTIES] => Array ( [ORIGINAL_URL] => Array ( [ID] => 51 [TIMESTAMP_X] => 2017-10-03 13:37:23 [IBLOCK_ID] => 2 [NAME] => Ссылка на сайте-источнике [ACTIVE] => Y [SORT] => 10 [CODE] => ORIGINAL_URL [DEFAULT_VALUE] => [PROPERTY_TYPE] => S [ROW_COUNT] => 1 [COL_COUNT] => 30 [LIST_TYPE] => L [MULTIPLE] => N [XML_ID] => [FILE_TYPE] => [MULTIPLE_CNT] => 5 [TMP_ID] => [LINK_IBLOCK_ID] => 0 [WITH_DESCRIPTION] => N [SEARCHABLE] => N [FILTRABLE] => N [IS_REQUIRED] => N [VERSION] => 1 [USER_TYPE] => [USER_TYPE_SETTINGS] => [HINT] => [PROPERTY_VALUE_ID] => 82293 [VALUE] => /2025/03/09/deputy-mayors-fighting-for-a-role [DESCRIPTION] => [VALUE_ENUM] => [VALUE_XML_ID] => [VALUE_SORT] => [~VALUE] => /2025/03/09/deputy-mayors-fighting-for-a-role [~DESCRIPTION] => [~NAME] => Ссылка на сайте-источнике [~DEFAULT_VALUE] => ) [THEME_EN] => Array ( [ID] => 280 [TIMESTAMP_X] => 2025-01-08 18:01:42 [IBLOCK_ID] => 2 [NAME] => Тема (en) [ACTIVE] => Y [SORT] => 20 [CODE] => THEME_EN [DEFAULT_VALUE] => [PROPERTY_TYPE] => S [ROW_COUNT] => 1 [COL_COUNT] => 30 [LIST_TYPE] => L [MULTIPLE] => N [XML_ID] => [FILE_TYPE] => [MULTIPLE_CNT] => 5 [TMP_ID] => [LINK_IBLOCK_ID] => 0 [WITH_DESCRIPTION] => Y [SEARCHABLE] => N [FILTRABLE] => Y [IS_REQUIRED] => N [VERSION] => 1 [USER_TYPE] => [USER_TYPE_SETTINGS] => [HINT] => [PROPERTY_VALUE_ID] => 82295 [VALUE] => Deputy mayors fighting for a role [DESCRIPTION] => [VALUE_ENUM] => [VALUE_XML_ID] => [VALUE_SORT] => [~VALUE] => Deputy mayors fighting for a role [~DESCRIPTION] => [~NAME] => Тема (en) [~DEFAULT_VALUE] => ) [TEXT_EN] => Array ( [ID] => 281 [TIMESTAMP_X] => 2025-01-08 18:01:42 [IBLOCK_ID] => 2 [NAME] => Текст новости (en) [ACTIVE] => Y [SORT] => 40 [CODE] => TEXT_EN [DEFAULT_VALUE] => [PROPERTY_TYPE] => S [ROW_COUNT] => 1 [COL_COUNT] => 30 [LIST_TYPE] => L [MULTIPLE] => N [XML_ID] => [FILE_TYPE] => [MULTIPLE_CNT] => 5 [TMP_ID] => [LINK_IBLOCK_ID] => 0 [WITH_DESCRIPTION] => Y [SEARCHABLE] => N [FILTRABLE] => Y [IS_REQUIRED] => N [VERSION] => 1 [USER_TYPE] => HTML [USER_TYPE_SETTINGS] => Array ( [height] => 200 ) [HINT] => [PROPERTY_VALUE_ID] => 82296 [VALUE] => Array ( [TEXT] => Long battle ahead as government pledges a review of their number and cost Even for those who fully understand the minutiae of last year’s local government reform, the ongoing dispute over the role of deputy mayors is bewildering and has become bogged down in wrangles over their number, their cost and excessive red tape. Under the reform, municipalities and communities were merged into clusters in a move to streamline local government. Each municipal council was promised a deputy mayor seat in return for the loss of their elected community leader and five councillors, only to be told a few months down the line, before they even got going, that they were unnecessary and should be done away with by the same people who suggested them in the first place. On Thursday, following an uproar by deputy mayors, who have set up a coordinating committee to push for a role in their umbrella municipalities, the House interior committee convened to look into possible amendments to the legislation that reformed local administration. Interior ministry permanent secretary Elikkos Elia told MPs that the ministry would be conducting a thorough review of the role of deputy mayors and dismissed the idea of a “hybrid system” where some boroughs have deputy mayors while others still rely on community leaders. Deputy mayor of Ayios Athanasios, Limassol, Marinos Kyriakou told the Sunday Mail that the House committee would discuss the issue of deputy mayors over the next few weeks, to give time for the coordinating committee to have a say. “The issue concerning the community leaders and the broader issues and responsibilities of deputy mayors are very serious,” said chairman of the interior committee, Akel MP Aristos Damianou and confirmed that the committee would look into the issue in the coming weeks. Kyriakou said the 15-member coordinating committee would meet again on Monday afternoon in Mouttayiaka and then request meetings with the House interior committee, parliamentary parties, the interior ministry and the Union of Municipalities to present their positions. “The bill taken to parliament by the interior ministry contains a lot we agree with, however it needs to be improved,” Kyriakou said. He added that he did not believe anyone would be ignoring them, as their reactions were “justified”. “In November, at the general meeting of the Union of Municipalities, the president of the Republic had said in his speech that some things would be rectified, such as the excessive number of deputy mayors. How did he know the number was excessive, when the reform of local administration had not yet got going properly?” Kyriakou asked. “Why did the communities that were incorporated into municipalities have to do so and why did they not leave the communities to work with their councils, their community leaders, their funds, their district officer?” Kyriakou explained how things were now complicated. Prior to the reform, the community leader would solve problems fast and in a simple way, “without all the bureaucracy”. “Now, in order to get anything done, if a problem needs to be solved immediately, a letter or email must be sent to the main municipality, pass from the archives to be archived, on the next day reach the director of the municipality, then be sent to the mayor who will give instructions to the supervisor of the service and the supervisor will give other instructions to the rest from thereon to solve the problem!” Kyriakou alleged that some communities were merged with municipalities because the former had access to the coast and therefore received income from tourism development which the municipalities have now managed to get their hands on. “There is a municipality that had no sea and due to the communities it managed to incorporate with it and now has sea; this is not right,” he said. “Now they are saying there are too many deputy mayors. They sugared the pill to compel the communities to join the municipalities by saying they will have a deputy mayor, a voice and role within the municipal council, and now they are saying there are too many. Are they serious?” Kyriakou said. He also warned that the parties and the government will pay the price in the next elections. “The government and MPs and the chairman of the committee and others are saying that the number of deputy mayors is excessive. But they were the ones that voted this in. Why didn’t they say something then? Because the communities would have reacted and not merged,” Kyriakou explained. Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou In November 2024, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou acknowledged that [around 90 deputy mayors](https://cyprus-mail.com/2024/11/25/dozens-for-deputy-mayors-getting-paid-for-doing-nothing) were getting paid on the taxpayer’s dime even though they had no official duties. During a House finance committee meeting, Ioannou had to concede that the law governing the new system of local government did not spell out the duties of the deputy mayors. Last month, the deputy mayors of the four municipalities in the broader Limassol area [met in Mouttayiaka](https://cyprus-mail.com/2025/02/24/cyprus-deputy-mayors-to-meet-to-clarify-vague-roles) to discuss thelack of direction and responsibilities regarding their office and proposals to solve the problems caused by the local government shake-up. They said the government and parliament should acknowledge their role and assign specific responsibilities. Another meeting was held on March 5 in Limassol, where approximately [50 deputy mayors](https://cyprus-mail.com/2025/03/05/deputy-mayors-renew-calls-for-legal-reform-after-meeting) came together to reinforce their demand for clear legal frameworks that properly define their roles. The deputy mayors, representing a significant portion of the 93 currently in office across the island, have become increasingly vocal about what they see as confusion and mismanagement stemming from the recent restructuring of local government. At the forefront of the movement is Christos Papamichael, the deputy mayor of Yermasoyia, who, reflecting on the past nine months, highlighted the challenges deputy mayors have faced since the reform was introduced. “We have shown patience, but the situation has become untenable,” he stated. “Today, we reaffirm our stance and the need for a clear, legally defined role. The ambiguity in the current legislation has only made matters worse, and now we must ensure our voices are heard at the highest levels.” On Thursday, Elia said the ministry would be conducting a thorough review of the role of deputy mayors and dismissed the idea of a “hybrid system” where some boroughs have deputy mayors while others rely on community leaders. Speaking after a House interior committee meeting on proposed amendments to local administration laws, Elia said the bill clearly defines the duties of deputy mayors and distinguishes them from those of mayors. “We hope that with the package of amending bills […] the role of deputy mayors will be upgraded,” he said. “The interior ministry is evaluating the institution of deputy mayors generally, both in relation to their number per municipality and their specific duties,” he added. “If necessary, the ministry will introduce a new bill, which will take effect in the next local administration elections,” he said. Regarding the old-style, non-elected mukhtars or certifying officers, Elia said they existed before the office of deputy mayors was created and have historically served boroughs effectively. The term mukhtar is often used interchangeably with community leader, but in fact the latter are elected while the former is appointed. Kyriakou also spoke about the mukhtars, saying they were “an anachronistic institution from the time of colonial rule”. He added it would have been wiser and more practical to give this job to “the deputy mayors who were elected by the people and who would do the job free of charge” – though of course, they still get their fixed salary – as opposed to the mukhtars or certifying officers who charged according to a fixed pricelist. Elia stressed that the mukhtars were “not paid by the government, so there is no cost from their appointment”. [TYPE] => HTML ) [DESCRIPTION] => [VALUE_ENUM] => [VALUE_XML_ID] => [VALUE_SORT] => [~VALUE] => Array ( [TEXT] => Long battle ahead as government pledges a review of their number and cost Even for those who fully understand the minutiae of last year’s local government reform, the ongoing dispute over the role of deputy mayors is bewildering and has become bogged down in wrangles over their number, their cost and excessive red tape. Under the reform, municipalities and communities were merged into clusters in a move to streamline local government. Each municipal council was promised a deputy mayor seat in return for the loss of their elected community leader and five councillors, only to be told a few months down the line, before they even got going, that they were unnecessary and should be done away with by the same people who suggested them in the first place. On Thursday, following an uproar by deputy mayors, who have set up a coordinating committee to push for a role in their umbrella municipalities, the House interior committee convened to look into possible amendments to the legislation that reformed local administration. Interior ministry permanent secretary Elikkos Elia told MPs that the ministry would be conducting a thorough review of the role of deputy mayors and dismissed the idea of a “hybrid system” where some boroughs have deputy mayors while others still rely on community leaders. Deputy mayor of Ayios Athanasios, Limassol, Marinos Kyriakou told the Sunday Mail that the House committee would discuss the issue of deputy mayors over the next few weeks, to give time for the coordinating committee to have a say. “The issue concerning the community leaders and the broader issues and responsibilities of deputy mayors are very serious,” said chairman of the interior committee, Akel MP Aristos Damianou and confirmed that the committee would look into the issue in the coming weeks. Kyriakou said the 15-member coordinating committee would meet again on Monday afternoon in Mouttayiaka and then request meetings with the House interior committee, parliamentary parties, the interior ministry and the Union of Municipalities to present their positions. “The bill taken to parliament by the interior ministry contains a lot we agree with, however it needs to be improved,” Kyriakou said. He added that he did not believe anyone would be ignoring them, as their reactions were “justified”. “In November, at the general meeting of the Union of Municipalities, the president of the Republic had said in his speech that some things would be rectified, such as the excessive number of deputy mayors. How did he know the number was excessive, when the reform of local administration had not yet got going properly?” Kyriakou asked. “Why did the communities that were incorporated into municipalities have to do so and why did they not leave the communities to work with their councils, their community leaders, their funds, their district officer?” Kyriakou explained how things were now complicated. Prior to the reform, the community leader would solve problems fast and in a simple way, “without all the bureaucracy”. “Now, in order to get anything done, if a problem needs to be solved immediately, a letter or email must be sent to the main municipality, pass from the archives to be archived, on the next day reach the director of the municipality, then be sent to the mayor who will give instructions to the supervisor of the service and the supervisor will give other instructions to the rest from thereon to solve the problem!” Kyriakou alleged that some communities were merged with municipalities because the former had access to the coast and therefore received income from tourism development which the municipalities have now managed to get their hands on. “There is a municipality that had no sea and due to the communities it managed to incorporate with it and now has sea; this is not right,” he said. “Now they are saying there are too many deputy mayors. They sugared the pill to compel the communities to join the municipalities by saying they will have a deputy mayor, a voice and role within the municipal council, and now they are saying there are too many. Are they serious?” Kyriakou said. He also warned that the parties and the government will pay the price in the next elections. “The government and MPs and the chairman of the committee and others are saying that the number of deputy mayors is excessive. But they were the ones that voted this in. Why didn’t they say something then? Because the communities would have reacted and not merged,” Kyriakou explained. Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou In November 2024, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou acknowledged that [around 90 deputy mayors](https://cyprus-mail.com/2024/11/25/dozens-for-deputy-mayors-getting-paid-for-doing-nothing) were getting paid on the taxpayer’s dime even though they had no official duties. During a House finance committee meeting, Ioannou had to concede that the law governing the new system of local government did not spell out the duties of the deputy mayors. Last month, the deputy mayors of the four municipalities in the broader Limassol area [met in Mouttayiaka](https://cyprus-mail.com/2025/02/24/cyprus-deputy-mayors-to-meet-to-clarify-vague-roles) to discuss thelack of direction and responsibilities regarding their office and proposals to solve the problems caused by the local government shake-up. They said the government and parliament should acknowledge their role and assign specific responsibilities. Another meeting was held on March 5 in Limassol, where approximately [50 deputy mayors](https://cyprus-mail.com/2025/03/05/deputy-mayors-renew-calls-for-legal-reform-after-meeting) came together to reinforce their demand for clear legal frameworks that properly define their roles. The deputy mayors, representing a significant portion of the 93 currently in office across the island, have become increasingly vocal about what they see as confusion and mismanagement stemming from the recent restructuring of local government. At the forefront of the movement is Christos Papamichael, the deputy mayor of Yermasoyia, who, reflecting on the past nine months, highlighted the challenges deputy mayors have faced since the reform was introduced. “We have shown patience, but the situation has become untenable,” he stated. “Today, we reaffirm our stance and the need for a clear, legally defined role. The ambiguity in the current legislation has only made matters worse, and now we must ensure our voices are heard at the highest levels.” On Thursday, Elia said the ministry would be conducting a thorough review of the role of deputy mayors and dismissed the idea of a “hybrid system” where some boroughs have deputy mayors while others rely on community leaders. Speaking after a House interior committee meeting on proposed amendments to local administration laws, Elia said the bill clearly defines the duties of deputy mayors and distinguishes them from those of mayors. “We hope that with the package of amending bills […] the role of deputy mayors will be upgraded,” he said. “The interior ministry is evaluating the institution of deputy mayors generally, both in relation to their number per municipality and their specific duties,” he added. “If necessary, the ministry will introduce a new bill, which will take effect in the next local administration elections,” he said. Regarding the old-style, non-elected mukhtars or certifying officers, Elia said they existed before the office of deputy mayors was created and have historically served boroughs effectively. The term mukhtar is often used interchangeably with community leader, but in fact the latter are elected while the former is appointed. Kyriakou also spoke about the mukhtars, saying they were “an anachronistic institution from the time of colonial rule”. He added it would have been wiser and more practical to give this job to “the deputy mayors who were elected by the people and who would do the job free of charge” – though of course, they still get their fixed salary – as opposed to the mukhtars or certifying officers who charged according to a fixed pricelist. Elia stressed that the mukhtars were “not paid by the government, so there is no cost from their appointment”. 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