The guaranteed minimum income – another government’s commitment

Statement by Andreas Fakontis, AKEL MP, C.C. member

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 6th May 2014, Nicosia

The overall reform of social welfare policy and the implementation of a guaranteed minimum income (GMI) as “a last resort safety net” were programmatic commitments of the President of the Republic N. Anastasiades, but also a Memorandum commitment.

Unfortunately, two months before the implementation of the GMI, the government is incapable of giving convincing answers and substantiating how it can implement such an ambitious project when the welfare state is being dismantled and social benefits are being cut by €127 million.

The non-documentation highlights the impression that the much-publicised GMI is just another pre-election firework of the Anastasiades government.

As AKEL, we have grave concerns that the GMI will be the vehicle by which those in power will proceed to the termination or/and further cuts of several benefits and allowances, as well as to the further contraction of the social welfare state.