The proposal for the Ministry of Labour's Budget for 2023 was presented by Minister Kyriakos Kousios before the Parliamentary Committee on Labour. The Medium Term Fiscal Framework for the three-year period 2023-2025 was also presented by Mr Kousios.As the Minister of Labour stated, both the Budget and the three-year fiscal framework aim to implement the vision of the Ministry of Labour to achieve full and quality employment, to ensure a minimum wage and a fair pension that provide a decent standard of living for citizens, to enhance safety and protect the health of all workers and to ensure industrial peace.[/B] The Minister of Labour stated that both the Budget and the three-year fiscal framework aim to implement the vision of the Ministry of Labour to achieve full and quality employment, to ensure a minimum wage and a fair pension that provide a decent standard of living for citizens, to enhance safety and protect the health of all workers and to ensure industrial peace.
At the same time, he added, the Ministry, through the implementation of its Budget for 2023, is expected to contribute to the achievement of the Government's overall objectives for the well-being of citizens, for keeping the economy on a path of sustainable growth and for addressing the challenges created by successive economic crises.
During the presentation, Mr Kousios had the opportunity to pay due tribute to his predecessor, the late Zeta Aimylianidou, who with her skills and determination turned the Anastasiades Government's vision of a welfare state into reality, he noted.
The Minister also had the opportunity to refer to important reforms implemented this year, which are expected to change the labour map of our country, for the benefit of workers and the economy.
Indicatively, he mentioned the institutionalization of the National Minimum Wage, the digital transformation of departments and services of the Ministry of Labour, the three-year National Disability Action Plan, the harmonizing bill on parental leave, and the end of reassessments of children entitled to disability benefits until they reach adulthood.
Regarding the Ministry of Labor's 2023 Budget, he pointed out to Committee members the increase of 6.5 percent over the 2022 Budget. In real terms, this is an increase of 38 million euros, from 583 to 621 million euros, not including co-funded projects. With the inclusion of co-financed projects, the Budget for 2023 will rise to €657 million.
For 2024 and 2025, the Budget is expected to increase even more, to €692 and €720 million respectively, excluding co-financed projects.
[/P][BR][BR]Of the total €657 million of budgeted expenditure for 2023, 28% relates to social benefits, sponsorships, projects and works, 4% relates to salaries, 66% relates to the expenditure for the General Government Contribution and 2% relates to net operating expenditure.
As regards exclusively social benefits, sponsorships and support projects for our fellow citizens, more than €180 million is expected to be allocated through the 2023 Budget. A detailed description of expenditure by category has been provided to Members of Parliament in a multi-page briefing note.
He noted that with the establishment of the State Ministry of Social Welfare in 2021 and the transfer of the Social Welfare Services, the Welfare Benefits Management Service and the Department for the Social Integration of Persons with Disabilities from the Ministry of Labour to the State Ministry, a significant part of the funds to support groups of our fellow citizens have been transferred to the State Ministry.
With regard to the implementation rates of the Budget of the Ministry of Labour, he pointed out that these are quite high, with this year's implementation rate expected to be around 96%.
Important, he said, is the Ministry's contribution to the implementation of the National Plan "Cyprus__Tomorrow", the related Recovery and Resilience Plan and the Thaleia Programme, with the implementation of projects and reforms amounting to 170 million euros over the next five years, aimed at the green and digital transition to an inclusive Europe.
Regarding the priorities set by the Ministry, in the context of the implementation of its Budget for 2023 and the Medium Term Financial Framework for 2023-25, he pointed out that these have been recorded and selected following a thorough study of its six Departments and Services and their overall assessment by the Central Administration, always in cooperation with the Departments.
He mentioned the most important of these priorities.
[*]Review and revise the Strategy for the Employment of Third Country Foreigners.
[*]Introduce legislation to regulate teleworking.
[*]Effectively tackle undeclared work.
[*]Promote safe and healthy workplace conditions.
[*]Further digital transformation of Departments and Services.
[*]Establishment of a Call Centre to serve citizens.
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In the above context, during the presentation he also referred to individual but important objectives of our Ministry's Departments and Services for 2023, the implementation of which will contribute to the realization of the overall objectives. Some of these individual objectives are.
[*]The training and employment of our Turkish Cypriot fellow citizens, by the Labour Department.
[*]The strengthening, protection and monitoring of the implementation of the National Minimum Wage, by the Labour Relations Department.
[*]The implementation of the Occupational Safety and Health Strategy, in relation to the corresponding European Strategy, by the Labour Inspection Department.
[*]The implementation of the Occupational Safety and Health Strategy, in relation to the corresponding European Strategy, by the Labour Inspection Department.
[*]The organisation of postgraduate programmes in Business Administration and Public Administration, by the Productivity Centre.
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During the presentation, Kyriakos Kousios informed the members of the Committee about dozens of other policies and reforms of the Ministry of Labour, which are listed in detail in the aforementioned note.
[/LIST]
During the presentation, Kyriakos Kousios informed the members of the Committee about dozens of other policies and reforms of the Ministry of Labour, which are listed in detail in the aforementioned note.
In conclusion, the Minister warmly thanked the Director General, the Directors of the Departments and Services and all the staff of the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance for their decisive contribution to the effort to implement our vision.
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