[B-0]22293[B-1]
[B-2]Yes to the budget but we don't agree with government policy, says DIKO President What Nicolas Papadopoulos said[B-3]
[B-4]The Democratic Party will vote in favour of the 2022 state budget, but this does not mean that "we agree with the government's economic policy", party President Nicolas Papadopoulos said, adding that "we are not giving a blank cheque to anyone".[B-5][B-6]"Despite the fact that we believe that a comprehensive governmental plan for the development of the Cypriot economy has not been presented, nor for addressing the fiscal risks that we have outlined, DIKO will vote in favour of the 2022 budget," Papadopoulos said, speaking during the debate on the 2022 budget before the plenary session of the House of Representatives.[B-7][B-8] Explaining the reasons for voting in favour of the budget, DIKO will vote in favour of the 2022 budget. Papadopoulos said that apart from the delivery of the naturalization files to the Comptroller General of the Republic, the reason why DIKO voted against last year's budget, the government has accepted specific proposals of the party for improving the budget.200 per year per child for families with two or more children and single-parent families entitled to child benefit, while the recommendation to increase the subsidy for the installation of photovoltaic units in residential units and small and medium-sized enterprises was accepted as follows.[B-11][B-12]He also said that the recommendation to increase the budget for the Ministry of Interior's Housing Schemes for Refugees by €5 million was accepted, while DIKO received an assurance from the Ministry of Finance that the creation of First Aid Departments for Children in Nicosia and Limassol will be included in the development budget of the OCYPY. He noted that the Honorary Allowance to Prisoners of War and Survivors of 1974 will be increased and in particular doubled, as it concerns low-paid prisoners of war and survivors of 1974 who are entitled to this allowance based on income criteria.[B-13][B-14] On the Cypriot economy, Papadopoulos referred to good news in relation to the recovery of the economy and the estimated reduction of the debt, but noted that there are risks.[B-15][B-16]These risks, he said, relate to the pandemic, the deterioration of the epidemiological picture, which if it continues next year may negatively affect tourist arrivals, but also to high unemployment and high inflation, which will reach 2% this year.[B-17]
[B-18]"We stress that since inflation is at these high levels, this means that the growth rate of the economy will not be 5.5% in 2021, as estimated, but in real terms it will only be 3.5%," he said."[B-19][B-20] He referred to the deviations of long-term targets due to the pandemic, such as debt reduction, but also to the budget deficit that will remain until 2024. "So the government is counting on the only mechanism that remains at its disposal to reduce the debt: the growth of the economy," he added.[B-21][B-22]Referring to the General Health System, Papadopoulos said that spending has increased dramatically because the public hospitals have not become autonomous and we continue to cover their deficits, the OAI has not been able to address the abuses and over-indebtedness of the system, and because there is no global budget. "If there was, we would be at €1.2 billion, not €1.8 billion," he said.[B-23][B-24]"All the key players in the system are set up to eat as big a share of the GHC pie as possible," he said.[B-25][B-26]"Doctors win, hospitals within the GHC win, hospitals outside the GHC win, pharmaceutical companies win and even insurance companies win. And all these profits are paid by the Cypriot taxpayer," he said: "So what does the government propose to contain and limit the costs of GESY? Nothing."[B-27][B-28]According to Papadopoulos, corruption is also a risk to the economy, with Cyprus' international image "as a centre of intrigue and corruption."[B-29][B-30]"What serious company will come to settle here with such an image? What serious investor" he asked, adding that "on the contrary, our information is that there is currently a massive exodus of companies from Cyprus because of our bad reputation and under pressure from supervisory authorities of other countries."[B-31][B-32]"The leaks of the 'Panama Papers' and 'Pandora Papers' directly implicate Cyprus and the President of the Republic himself. We have reached the point where even the European Parliament has adopted a resolution with specific references to Cyprus and the President of the Republic by name," he said.B-33][B-34]On the Cyprus problem, the DIKO President said that "we are at the worst and most dangerous point we have ever been at in the Cyprus problem" and attributed "heavy responsibilities" to the President of the Republic.[B-33][B-34]On the Cyprus problem, the DIKO President said that "we are at the worst and most dangerous point we have ever been at in the Cyprus problem" and attributed "heavy responsibilities" to the President of the Republic.[B-35][B-36]He said that Turkey is now openly promoting the two-state solution and instead of facing the consequences of the clear violation of UN resolutions, Turkey is not only proceeding intact and unhindered, but also receiving congratulations.[B-37][B-38]He said that DIKO warned even before Mont Pelerin that the escalation of the process under those circumstances would lead us out of the negotiations. And so it happened.[B-39][B-40]"The President of the Republic did not listen to us and escalated the process. As a result, while we were negotiating for 8 years the 'governance' chapter, which is the only chapter that the Greek side has to give, the negotiations collapsed as soon as the discussion on security started: because Turkey insisted on guarantees, the army and interventionist rights," he said.[B-41][B-42][B-42] He described the sanctions policy as correct, adding that its implementation is what suffers.[B-43][B-44]"We, as DIKO, believe that it is possible to claim and achieve political, diplomatic and economic costs to Turkey, with only one goal: to change its stance on the Cyprus problem," he said.[B-45][B-46]As he said, for there to be a solution to the Cyprus problem, based on UN resolutions and high-level agreements, as we all want, then Turkey will have to make many concrete concessions.[B-47][B-48]He called on President Anastasiades "to abandon the failed policy he is following which is leading us into the abyss of partition through a so-called two-state or confederation solution."[B-49][B-50]"The Democratic Party and the overwhelming majority of the Greek Cypriots will not allow the Cyprus problem to be derailed into a two-state and partition solution."[B-49][B-50]"The Democratic Party and the overwhelming majority of the Greek Cypriots will not allow the Cyprus problem to be derailed into a two-state and partition solution. We will not allow the dissolution of the Republic of Cyprus," he concluded.[B-51]
[B-52]Contents of this article including associated images are belongs to [B-53]Cyprus Times[B-54]
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or [B-55]Cyprus Times[B-56][B-57]
[B-58]Source[B-59]
[B-2]Yes to the budget but we don't agree with government policy, says DIKO President What Nicolas Papadopoulos said[B-3]
[B-4]The Democratic Party will vote in favour of the 2022 state budget, but this does not mean that "we agree with the government's economic policy", party President Nicolas Papadopoulos said, adding that "we are not giving a blank cheque to anyone".[B-5][B-6]"Despite the fact that we believe that a comprehensive governmental plan for the development of the Cypriot economy has not been presented, nor for addressing the fiscal risks that we have outlined, DIKO will vote in favour of the 2022 budget," Papadopoulos said, speaking during the debate on the 2022 budget before the plenary session of the House of Representatives.[B-7][B-8] Explaining the reasons for voting in favour of the budget, DIKO will vote in favour of the 2022 budget. Papadopoulos said that apart from the delivery of the naturalization files to the Comptroller General of the Republic, the reason why DIKO voted against last year's budget, the government has accepted specific proposals of the party for improving the budget.200 per year per child for families with two or more children and single-parent families entitled to child benefit, while the recommendation to increase the subsidy for the installation of photovoltaic units in residential units and small and medium-sized enterprises was accepted as follows.[B-11][B-12]He also said that the recommendation to increase the budget for the Ministry of Interior's Housing Schemes for Refugees by €5 million was accepted, while DIKO received an assurance from the Ministry of Finance that the creation of First Aid Departments for Children in Nicosia and Limassol will be included in the development budget of the OCYPY. He noted that the Honorary Allowance to Prisoners of War and Survivors of 1974 will be increased and in particular doubled, as it concerns low-paid prisoners of war and survivors of 1974 who are entitled to this allowance based on income criteria.[B-13][B-14] On the Cypriot economy, Papadopoulos referred to good news in relation to the recovery of the economy and the estimated reduction of the debt, but noted that there are risks.[B-15][B-16]These risks, he said, relate to the pandemic, the deterioration of the epidemiological picture, which if it continues next year may negatively affect tourist arrivals, but also to high unemployment and high inflation, which will reach 2% this year.[B-17]
[B-18]"We stress that since inflation is at these high levels, this means that the growth rate of the economy will not be 5.5% in 2021, as estimated, but in real terms it will only be 3.5%," he said."[B-19][B-20] He referred to the deviations of long-term targets due to the pandemic, such as debt reduction, but also to the budget deficit that will remain until 2024. "So the government is counting on the only mechanism that remains at its disposal to reduce the debt: the growth of the economy," he added.[B-21][B-22]Referring to the General Health System, Papadopoulos said that spending has increased dramatically because the public hospitals have not become autonomous and we continue to cover their deficits, the OAI has not been able to address the abuses and over-indebtedness of the system, and because there is no global budget. "If there was, we would be at €1.2 billion, not €1.8 billion," he said.[B-23][B-24]"All the key players in the system are set up to eat as big a share of the GHC pie as possible," he said.[B-25][B-26]"Doctors win, hospitals within the GHC win, hospitals outside the GHC win, pharmaceutical companies win and even insurance companies win. And all these profits are paid by the Cypriot taxpayer," he said: "So what does the government propose to contain and limit the costs of GESY? Nothing."[B-27][B-28]According to Papadopoulos, corruption is also a risk to the economy, with Cyprus' international image "as a centre of intrigue and corruption."[B-29][B-30]"What serious company will come to settle here with such an image? What serious investor" he asked, adding that "on the contrary, our information is that there is currently a massive exodus of companies from Cyprus because of our bad reputation and under pressure from supervisory authorities of other countries."[B-31][B-32]"The leaks of the 'Panama Papers' and 'Pandora Papers' directly implicate Cyprus and the President of the Republic himself. We have reached the point where even the European Parliament has adopted a resolution with specific references to Cyprus and the President of the Republic by name," he said.B-33][B-34]On the Cyprus problem, the DIKO President said that "we are at the worst and most dangerous point we have ever been at in the Cyprus problem" and attributed "heavy responsibilities" to the President of the Republic.[B-33][B-34]On the Cyprus problem, the DIKO President said that "we are at the worst and most dangerous point we have ever been at in the Cyprus problem" and attributed "heavy responsibilities" to the President of the Republic.[B-35][B-36]He said that Turkey is now openly promoting the two-state solution and instead of facing the consequences of the clear violation of UN resolutions, Turkey is not only proceeding intact and unhindered, but also receiving congratulations.[B-37][B-38]He said that DIKO warned even before Mont Pelerin that the escalation of the process under those circumstances would lead us out of the negotiations. And so it happened.[B-39][B-40]"The President of the Republic did not listen to us and escalated the process. As a result, while we were negotiating for 8 years the 'governance' chapter, which is the only chapter that the Greek side has to give, the negotiations collapsed as soon as the discussion on security started: because Turkey insisted on guarantees, the army and interventionist rights," he said.[B-41][B-42][B-42] He described the sanctions policy as correct, adding that its implementation is what suffers.[B-43][B-44]"We, as DIKO, believe that it is possible to claim and achieve political, diplomatic and economic costs to Turkey, with only one goal: to change its stance on the Cyprus problem," he said.[B-45][B-46]As he said, for there to be a solution to the Cyprus problem, based on UN resolutions and high-level agreements, as we all want, then Turkey will have to make many concrete concessions.[B-47][B-48]He called on President Anastasiades "to abandon the failed policy he is following which is leading us into the abyss of partition through a so-called two-state or confederation solution."[B-49][B-50]"The Democratic Party and the overwhelming majority of the Greek Cypriots will not allow the Cyprus problem to be derailed into a two-state and partition solution."[B-49][B-50]"The Democratic Party and the overwhelming majority of the Greek Cypriots will not allow the Cyprus problem to be derailed into a two-state and partition solution. We will not allow the dissolution of the Republic of Cyprus," he concluded.[B-51]
[B-52]Contents of this article including associated images are belongs to [B-53]Cyprus Times[B-54]
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or [B-55]Cyprus Times[B-56][B-57]
[B-58]Source[B-59]
