Scientific and technical chamber (Etek) chairman Constantinos Constanti on Friday issued a list of suggestions to President Nikos Christodoulides which he said he hoped will bring about a “revitalisation” of Nicosia.

He called on Christodoulides to “expedite the planning” of a new park in Engomi, while also calling for “the improvement of accessibility, commerciality, and the sustainability of businesses” in Nicosia’s old town and on the capital’s arterial Makarios Avenue.

To this end, he said, Etek has “submitted a set of proposals” which will be “further processed by ministers … to see what set of proposals should be proposed so that we can really help traders”.

He said that one of his proposals is for the government to better facilitate the change of use of premises, “so as to stop the phenomenon of there being so many closed stores”.

“Incentives should be given to reuse these stores without many restrictions so that the long-awaited revitalisation or strengthening of the capital’s urban centre … can occur, and for this reason, it should be given priority,” he said.