New Nicosia mayor pledges to make reform work

Nicosia’s newly appointed mayor Charalambos Prountzos on Monday expressed strong confidence in the success of local government reform in the capital.

During the handover ceremony, Prontzos also underlined his commitment “to making the reform work effectively.”

In the election last month Prountzos garnered almost three times as many votes as his main rival Nicos Tornaritis.

“We want to embrace this change with confidence because I believe it will succeed, and we will ensure it does,” he said, stressing that municipalities “are essentially service providers to their residents”.

He also promised to put the residents of Nicosia at the centre of municipal operations, ensuring services are delivered efficiently and at reasonable costs, further stressing the critical role of municipal employees in achieving these goals.

Prountzos announced plans to visit all departments of the newly unified Nicosia municipality, acknowledging, however, the challenges of uniting services and integrating four major urban clusters – Engomi, Ayios Dhometios, Aglandja and Nicosia – into a single entity.

“This reform represents a significant shift for local governance in Cyprus,” Prountzos remarked, highlighting its potential to improve services for all residents and create sustainable, efficient municipal structures.

He also pointed out the historical and unique position of Nicosia as the last divided capital in Europe, a status that demands continuous efforts for reunification. He expressed his determination to use this pivotal moment to lead Nicosia forward.

During the ceremony, outgoing Mayor Constantinos Yiorkadjis, who was elected to the new position of Nicosia district governor, praised the new mayor and the council for their upcoming challenges, particularly the integration of residents and staff from the merging municipalities.

Yiorkadjis also noted that the merger aims to create economies of scale and ensure the financial viability of the new local authority and stressed the importance of completing ongoing and future projects in the greater Nicosia area worth over €115 million.