The government neither wants nor can support society, said AKEL MP Andreas Kavkalias in the debate on the 2023 budget, who focused on criticising the government on social policy issues. Kafkalias referred to long delays in examining applications, difficulties in communicating with the relevant services. He said it was obvious that the country needed a new social policy, not only to tackle social poverty, but also to create a state that would distribute social wealth more fairly.
The AKEL MP noted that the growth rate of per capita real gross disposable household income in Cyprus was among the slowest in the EU, while he also spoke of unaffordable rents, despite the government's commitments. Still referring to EU figures, he said that Cyprus had not achieved convergence with the rest of Europe over the past decade in terms of reducing inequality, while he added that Cyprus had the highest percentage in the EU of workers who had experienced a reduction in earnings. For this reason, he said, ATA should be fully restored and coverage should be extended to all workers, as well as the amount for various social benefits should be reviewed.
In addition, Kavkalias referred to the deregulation of labour relations, with the employment of teachers through the purchase of services by the Ministry of Education, and the minimum wage decree which "institutionalises cheap labour", he said. He also referred to pension reform and the restoration of the 12% penalty for those leaving at age 63, calling it a "mockery" and a "gnawing of time" by the government. He also referred to the abolition of the holiday in the retail sector, which has hit small and medium-sized businesses.
Source: CNA
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