"Village Authority"

--- CONTENT ---
The Village Authority was a form of local government implemented in the villages of Cyprus from the Turkish occupation until 1999. It was the lowest form of self-government in Cyprus.

The beginning consisted of the mukhtar, who was also its president, and of the azades that were its members with a variable number depending on the inhabitants of the village the lower limit was four members.

During Turkish rule at first, a man with large property and a person who had not committed any form of crime was usually appointed. The appointment continued until 1979 when the first election for the members of the authority and the president was held, the beginning has since been elected every five years.

The main responsibilities of the authority were to keep order, to collect taxes, to issue certificates, to notify the police, to issue licences for public works, among their duties was to keep a register. Moukhtaris was the prominent person of the village, he hosted at home all the officials visiting the village. Along with the priest were considered the supreme rulers.

Since 1979 the territorial authority was elected for five years, in 1999 it was replaced by the Community Council.

References

State Institutions of Cyprus
Forms of administrative division
Ministry of Interior (Cyprus)