The appointment ceremony of the new Minister of Labour and Social Insurance, Mr. Kyriakos Kousiosos, the new Deputy Minister to the President Mr. Peter Demetriou and the new Director of the Office of the President Mr. Pantelis Pantelidis.
During the confirmation ceremony, President Anastasiades said that "today's decision to appoint an official is the most unpleasant decision I have received during my more than 9 years as President.
And it is unpleasant because, unintentionally, I am obliged by the Constitution to make a replacement for a personality who honoured me with her friendship, a universally acclaimed colleague who graced the cabinet and made my vision of a welfare state a reality.
My friend Mr Kousios, my dear Kyriakos, your task is equally difficult as you are called upon to succeed Zeta Emilianidou in a Ministry that has been identified with her stamp and her multifaceted action; the measure of comparison will be a constant challenge.
I want to assure you that in your new duties, in addition to your skills, you will have my full support.
Taking into account your proven ethics, your strong personality and, above all, your spirit of consensus and conciliation, I have decided, in exercise of my constitutional powers, to appoint you to the post of Minister of Labour and Social Security.
As you well know, my friend Kyriakos, since coming to power, the restructuring of the services and policies of the State was placed at the top of our priorities, in order to achieve a welfare state that would stand by the needs of citizens, but especially those in need of state care.
Thanks to the determination and methodicalness of the late Zeta, through a targeted and coherent policy, it was possible not only to rationalise the entire welfare system but also to strengthen the protection grid of our vulnerable citizens, through radical reforms such as.
- The introduction of the Minimum Guaranteed Income.
- The guarantee of the minimum guaranteed pension, so that no pensioner lives below the poverty line.
- The plan to restructure and modernise the Social Welfare Services.
- The establishment of the State Ministry of Social Welfare.
- The creation of the Women's and Children's Home to provide multidisciplinary support, as well as homes in the community for the deinstitutionalisation of people with disabilities.
- The establishment of National Strategies for Disability and Child Protection.
- The reintroduction of the mother's allowance, the introduction of the paternity allowance, the implementation of the widow's pension for men, the introduction of paternity refugees.
- The extension of maternity leave, which also covers surrogate mothers.
- The early retirement of thalassaemics.
The measures taken are numerous, but I have chosen to mention the most important ones.
I am aware that in addition to what we have secured, there are some pending plans that remained unfulfilled as a result of Zeta's untimely loss, such as the establishment of the national minimum wage, the Reform of the Pension System, the Legislative Regulation of Parental Leave for those with children up to eight years old, The Legislative Regulation of Teleworking and of course the programmatic implementation of the National Plan "Cyprus for Tomorrow", through which political and investment actions amounting to more than 315 million euros are envisaged, which will further strengthen the social protection grid that every modern state must provide to its citizens.
Mr Kousios, my friend Kyriakos, I have no doubt that in close cooperation and with the tried and tested Deputy Minister of Welfare, the officials and partners of your Ministry, and my support, you will succeed in this mission as well.
I want to wish you success and I am sure that you will under the circumstances be the missing antidote as a result of Zeta's loss."
Subsequently, at the ceremony of appointment of the new Deputy Minister to the President, President Anastasiades said that "exercising my constitutional powers, I appoint in place of the outgoing Deputy Minister to the President, Mr.
As you are well aware, it has been my conviction from the very beginning that in order to form my Government, I will have to make use of a significant number of young people in key posts and positions of responsibility, having full confidence in their abilities and innovative ideas.
Dear Peter, as one of my closest associates, you have worked with absolute professionalism, consistency and conscientiousness, making the greatest contribution in the performance of your duties.
I have no doubt that you will carry out your duties in the same way, justifying once again my confidence in you by assuming this new position.
A particularly important position, in terms of effective planning and decision-making on all matters related to governance and, in particular, the welfare state.
I look forward to your services to continue the work we have done so far in the interest of the citizens.
Given what I have said above and taking into account your qualifications, conscientiousness and diligence, I am absolutely sure that you will do full justice to the admittedly difficult task assigned to you and that you will live up to the expectations that accompany your appointment."
With regard to the appointment of Mr. Pantelidis, the President of the Republic said that "taking into account the invaluable services rendered over the last nine years by another of my close associates, diplomat Mr Pantelis Pantelidis, I have decided to entrust him with the duties of Director of my Office, a key position that contributes significantly to the smooth performance of the duties of the President of the Republic.
As Secretary of the Presidency and of the National Council, Mr Pantelidis was distinguished for his ethics, diligence and timeless diligence in the performance of his duties.
My dear Pantelis, you are taking on tasks that are not foreign to you, you have the knowledge, the experience, but just as importantly, like Peter, you are one of my colleagues, who know the temperament, the requirements and the way I work and work, so I am sure of the successful performance of your new duties".
In his response on behalf of all the appointees, Mr. President, I thank you both personally and on behalf of the new colleagues.
Our thanks are such because in the time we have worked with you, Pantelis for nine years, Peter for four and a half, I for two, you have inspired us, guided us and I assure you that with the same zeal and dedication with which we have worked these years we will continue from our new positions.
I do not hide from you that I personally have mixed feelings about leaving the Deputy Minister to the President, but at the same time it is a challenge to take up the portfolio served by an accomplished Minister, our beloved Zeta, my friend Zeta, and I want to assure you that I will continue to complete what Zeta has wheeled out within the framework of your policies and directives, for a welfare state, for a social state.
There is a lot that remains to be done, at the same time we have to maintain industrial peace and it is important that in the conditions that we are going through now in the crisis that we see coming we have to safeguard jobs, protect the worker and I assure you that we will be worthy of your confidence."
(PM/NG/EXP)
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