More than 1,000 Limassolians and others are expected to gather in front of the Limassol District Administration Offices in Anexartisias Street on June 23rd at 18:00 to protest against the exorbitant rent prices in Limassol.
Although residential property rents have been rising across Cyprus, Limassol has been particularly affected with rents sky rocketing in recent times.
Organised by the Limassol initiative group the protestors will be calling for an end to “the socially and ecologically disastrous policies that render our town liveable only for the financially privileged groups of citizens.”
They are saying NO to:
- the exorbitant rent prices in Limassol
- the displacement of middle and lower social strata from the city’s core
- the ongoing elimination of public space
- the criminal exclusion of citizens from the decision making that affects their city
- the construction of speculative bubble high-rise building and the impending environmental disaster
- the ongoing deterioration of the city’s character
- government policies that put the interests and profits of developers and law firms above the needs of ordinary citizens
And are demanding:
- the immediate and meaningful intervention of the state for tackling the lack of affordable housing in Limassol
- the immediate construction of quality and affordable housing infrastructure for middle and lower income strata
- the immediate inclusion of citizens in the decision-making process that directly affect their living environment
- more public and green spaces
The initiative group considers that “these problems are interconnected. High-rise buildings, astronomical rents and the commercialization of public space are phenomena directly related to the economic crisis.
“The ‘development’ of the towers is not taking place on behalf of the citizens but against them, to extract more profits for the developer-lawyer-public official-complex. This kind of ‘development’ excludes the lower and financially vulnerable social strata from their right to the city.”
Further details on Facebook (Greek & English).
Usual dummies asking for their share of the trough (please, please, master, pay my rent, ’cause I can’t anymore)…give them some peanuts, so they keep on voting for the same masters…
I wish them well and hope they get plenty of support. Someone has to object/fight on the side of the ordinary citizen.
Displacement of the lower and middle classes.
Ongoing elimination of public space.
Exclusion of citizens from decision making processes about their towns and cities.
Government policies that put the interests of and profits of law firms above the needs of ordinary citizens.
This is not confined to Limassol!
Almost exactly a year on from Grenfell Towers in London – the last year’s inquiry process and details unfolding in the wake of this human tragedy – have well and truly lifted the lid on ALL of the above in London (and a lot more).
As an excellent impeccably researched history lesson & explanatory background to the precipitant conditions of the above – I watched Adam Curtis’s documentary “Hypernormalisation” last year. It can be Googled – otherwise it’s (I think) still on BBC i-player if you can access that service.
You can trace the roots of this modus operandii right back to New York in 1975.
I’m not typing any more – as many people on the forum ignore what I write anyway – but the rest can decide if they want to educate themselves.
This is not a Cypriot issue – it’s a global issue – and many people are completely oblivious to the colossal impact it’s going to have on them – and their offspring.
My wife and I, Limassol residents, loving living right now in this fine City, are impressed with the way this Group are taking some serious initiative. Having bought a year ago, and live in – and love living in – an apartment in this City we have already seen, not only very substantial increases in Freehold values and almost astronomical increases in rents – from a base of circa €350 p.c.m.to, quite recently €1,000p.c.m. Leaving many Limassolians having to seek less expensive accommodations elsewhere, impacting on lives, jobs, children’s education and much else connected to all this.
A very clear sign that, what with the massive Casino Project seemingly galloping on and what seems to most of us one HUGELY High (!) Risk, high number, of multi High-Storey, ocean-facing Towers, the latest, – just one of many (well over 30 has been mentioned!!!) we are told – 4 towers on one site (Pafilia) numbering altogether 130 ‘storeys’ on one site, and with seemingly next-to-zero planning or liaison with affected owners/tenants of existing buildings. Personally don’t see much evidence whatsoever about Town Planning, Services, Rights of Light etc.etc. – and the latest announcements proudly say there are many, many more up to Fifty!, awaiting in the ‘pipeline’!.
Seriously, has AnyBody ?, done detailed projections on this massive build up of tower blocks, largely we hear for incoming Russians and Chinese, we have no quibble with them, but expect many sold units will remain empty, unserviced and making little or no contribution to running a much larger city, gaining revenues, much higher ‘footfalls’, much increased traffic on already VERY busy main and feeder roads.
And, back to those affected now by HUGE rent-rises, we wish you the very Best of Luck in getting some recognition, and more importantly Action to avoid serious problems into the future for lovely, old Limassol.
I can see what they are feeling, but how can we demonstrate about something that is set by the market?
In the same way, we should hold a demonstration about the weather (getting too hot too early, right?), maybe one about iPhone prices (too expensive?), and certainly one about the rising water levels….
I guess this has political meaning, and I am afraid I do not share such motives.
So just like London and other UK cities then.