A few decades ago, a common phrase circulated among Nicosia residents: “Take your complaints to Lellos.” This meant that if there was a problem in the Nicosia district, the path to resolution was through the mayor, who for many years happened to be Lellos Demetriades, making the matter somewhat personal.
What matters, regardless of the name—be it Lellos or Prountzos—is that citizens expected (and still expect) solutions from their mayor.
Today we see the capital’s mayor uploading TikTok videos to describe problems created by the recent storm while publicly requesting solutions.
We hope these posts are addressed only to citizens as an alibi that the Municipality has done everything within its power: cleaned the drains, collected bulky items and so forth. For all other matters, citizens are apparently being informed that others bear responsibility.
However, citizens cannot help but question and worry: If the capital’s mayor must resort to public appeals for infrastructure improvements, where should citizens turn and in whom should they place their hope?
Different times bring different customs, we don’t dispute this. But when the city floods, when streets become rivers and properties are at risk, citizens aren’t concerned with who’s at fault. Their concern and request is that necessary actions be taken—by whoever is responsible.
The blame-shifting between authorities that has recently become common solves no problems. It only reveals communication and cooperation issues between local and central administration.
When a resident’s home floods, they aren’t concerned whether the government, the District Office, or the mayor should have solved the problem.
“Which agency handles flood protection today?” asks Mayor Prountzos. “The District Offices? Apparently not. The Water Development Department? Probably not them either. Citizens, however, aren’t interested in the jurisdictional confusion. They expect the obvious—protection of their property, which we also demand alongside them”.
These statements come from the capital’s mayor himself, not from an ordinary citizen. He even specifies locations where anti-flooding infrastructure should have been developed.
“It’s tragic,” he states, “that our cities remain unprotected while hundreds of millions sit unused due to indecision” (referring to the Recovery Fund).
Among other concerns, he expresses worry about a rock formation in Skali Aglantzias that, due to weather conditions, poses an increasing danger as it hangs over a residential area.
We agree with all these points, but what then is the role of local government? Has communication with other state authorities been reduced to TikTok posts, or are they actually discussing these issues, prioritizing them, and developing solutions?
