Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades has presented infrastructure projects which have either been completed, are ongoing or are planned and which include an observatory and a funicular, to help improve living conditions and boost growth in the communities of the Troodos mountain range.
Addressing on Saturday the Troodos Development Company Annual General Meeting, the President highlighted the importance of strategic planning and said that the Directorate General for European Programmes, Coordination and Development has undertaken a coordinating role to present a growth plan for the wider Troodos area and propose solutions where possible.
According to a PIO press release, issued here today, Anastasiades noted that the key word which would describe the planning is “synergy” between all involved actors, adding that the plan, at the stage of completion, is expected to be submitted to the Cabinet for approval.
Referring in particular to the creation of an observatory, a proposal submitted by the Forest Department, the Troodos Development Company and the Agridia Community Council for funding in the framework of the cross-border cooperation between Cyprus and Greece for the period of 2014 – 2020, President Anastasiades said that it has been approved at the first review stage and a final review to decide whether the project will be funded is expected to be completed within September.
The proposal provides for the construction of an Observatory in the Agridia community, an outdoor star observation area in the Amiantos mine, regulated points of entry into the National Forest Park, information sites, opportunities to participate in star observation conferences, tourist fairs and educational programmes.
The budget for Cypriot involved parties comes to €1.6 million.
On the funicular, President Anastasiades said “it would bring added value to the region.” He explained that high costs and the need to establish cooperation between the public and the private section have prevented the project to go ahead so far.
“However, I am pleased to announce today that the project will go ahead,” he said.
According to President Anastasiades the Cabinet is set to approve a budget of €150,000 in September for a tender on a feasibility study which would be presented to prospective investors.
Anastasiades also said that in the period 2013 – 2016 some 12.4 million euro was spent on road and building improvement projects while in 2017 €4.1 million is expected to be spent in the Nicosia and Limassol communities of the Troodos mountain range.
Referring to property owned by the state in the Troodos mountain range, he said the government is working intensively to make the most of it for tourist purposes and that the properties have been recorded in detail and separated in 10 different clusters. The first phase of the project will deal with three clusters around the Troodos square at an estimated budget of €16 million, he said, adding that this will aim to attract private investors and it is expected to be completed by the end of 2017.
He said that the Cyprus Tourist Organisation would look into the possibility of offering incentives packages to tour operators to include resorts in the Troodos area.
Referring to projects which are either already completed or ongoing, he talked about the restoration of the environment at Amiantos mine at a cost of €1.35 million, landscaping the Troodos square, a proposal to include the Troodos region in the UNESCO global geopark list, and the project GEO-IN which has received €300,000 from the Geoparks programme between Cyprus and Greece for the period 2014 – 2020.
The President also referred to other projects in the pipeline, such as a regional market in the village Karvounas for agricultural products at a cost of €600,000 and plans to establish a Gastronomy School in Saitas costing about €730,000 as part of the EEA – Norway Mechanism, using local produce.
According to President Anastasiades in the context of the EU Rural Development Programme for the period 2014 – 2020 the Troodos Development Company is expected to receive in co-funding up to €2.7 million for the implementation of a local development strategy.
