(ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, MAY 23 - The most important project of
the European Commission financial support programme to the
Turkish-Cypriot community, an installation for the desalination
of seawater worth 27.5 million euros, ''is a failure.'' This
conclusion was reached by the European Court of Auditors in its
report on the management of European assistance to the
Turkish-Cypriot community. The study focused on 34 contract,
which represent a third of EU funding over the 2006-2011 period,
totalling 97.5 million euros.
According to the European Court of Auditors, the European Commission has developed a programme based on its targets, despite the difficult political and legal situation and the short time available. Though ''some important goals'' were reached, in general the projects for the northern part of the island were ''hardly sustainable.'' But in the case of the construction of a desalination plant in Sirianokhori/Kumkoy, the Commission ''has not managed the risks posed by the signing of contracts for 27.4 million euros effectively.'' The fact that the project failed was mainly caused by the decision made in December 2009 to sign a last-minute contract with a company of Greek-Cypriot employees. The contract had to be ended two years later. The selected company was in fact unable to guarantee that it would be able to complete the project due to the restricted access of its workers to the northern part of the island. Talks with the political leaders were opened too late and the problem could not be solved.
(ANSAmed).
According to the European Court of Auditors, the European Commission has developed a programme based on its targets, despite the difficult political and legal situation and the short time available. Though ''some important goals'' were reached, in general the projects for the northern part of the island were ''hardly sustainable.'' But in the case of the construction of a desalination plant in Sirianokhori/Kumkoy, the Commission ''has not managed the risks posed by the signing of contracts for 27.4 million euros effectively.'' The fact that the project failed was mainly caused by the decision made in December 2009 to sign a last-minute contract with a company of Greek-Cypriot employees. The contract had to be ended two years later. The selected company was in fact unable to guarantee that it would be able to complete the project due to the restricted access of its workers to the northern part of the island. Talks with the political leaders were opened too late and the problem could not be solved.
(ANSAmed).
