This year's budget does not present a positive outlook, especially for vulnerable groups of the population, said Democratic Party (DIKO) MP Panicos Leonidou, who noted that "the budget, in its individual aspects, does not have a developmental direction and does not address the problems brought about by the economic crisis, which intensified due to the coronavirus pandemic."
In his speech at the plenary session of the Parliament during the debate on the State Budget for 2022, Mr. Leonidou , said that "the need for state intervention is more than urgent, either through tax cuts or by granting tax incentives to employers, so that they can proceed with new hiring, if possible, or maintain the number of employees without reducing wages."
He said that as DIKO, "recognizing the multiple problems in the economy, which exist regardless of the pandemic, we have been sounding the alarm for months and have proposed a comprehensive plan to manage them."
As the DIKO MP said, "Unfortunately, the Government has been content with communication gimmicks, instead of taking effective measures, but the consequences of its problematic plans will once again be paid by Cypriot citizens, especially the middle class, small and medium enterprises and workers".
He expressed concern "about the lack of effective measures to support the countryside, the small and middle class and the low-income strata of the population" and disappointment "at the way the state treats these categories of the population".
On the government's handling of the pandemic, Leonidou said that "unfortunately, the government in several cases acted hastily and unjustifiably, with the result that the measures taken were excessive and unbearable for the lives of citizens".
He finally stated that "before taking more stringent measures, there must be a synergy between the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary and also the use of milder measures must be exhausted before the Ministry of Health proceeds to take more drastic ones, which would violate the core of fundamental individual rights."</B-8
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Sourcehttps://cyprustimes.com/politiki/o-...siazei-thetiki-prooptiki-dilose-o-p-leonidoy/
