Municipal authorities in Nicosia and Paphos have cancelled their customary New Years eve festivities in the face of economic hardship but other local authorities are going ahead with public celebrations.

Nicosia’s Mayor Constantinos Yiorkadjis said the city council endorsed a suggestion by primary school children to give the money allocated for the festivities to children from poor families.

He said 16 thousand euros was divided among 320 primary school children, with Athienitis supermarket matching this sum with food.

Paphos Mayor Savvas Vergas has also said that the money allocated to festivities has been given to parents’ associations of the Paphos schools to help families of pupils in need.

However, Municipal authorities in Limassol, Larnaca and Ayia Napa have said they will go ahead with their customary New Year’s eve celebrations, albeit on a cut down budget.

Limassol Mayor Andreas Christou said that tonight’s celebrations have a dual purpose -to send out a message of optimism and hope and to provide recreation for townspeople who do not have the means to joyfully greet New Year’s arrival.