Society deserves a modern and effective welfare state

Statement by Andreas Kafkalias, AKEL MP and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Labour and Social Insurance meeting with the Deputy Minister of Social Insurance.

28 September 2021

We have repeatedly stressed that the country needs a modern welfare state that provides effective support to its citizens. Unfortunately, for years we have been hearing all the talk about the modernisation of social welfare services and we have not seen any modernisation.

Two years ago, AKEL submitted a comprehensive package of proposals for the modernisation of the Social Welfare Services. Today, we have re-submitted our positions.

More specifically, we asked the Deputy Minister to take initiatives on the following:

1. Transfer of the Department for the Social Integration of People with Disabilities to the Deputy Ministry, within a fixed timetable, given that for us, as well as for the disability movement, a Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare cannot be considered complete without including people with disabilities in its responsibilities.
2. Speeding up the procedures for examining applications for the Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) and the allowance for low income pensioners. It is inconceivable that our fellow citizens who need the support of the state should have to wait 6, 8, 10 months or more to receive the GMI and the allowance for low income pensioners.
3. Creating structures in the provinces to provide access to the Welfare Benefit Administration Service for applicants for the GMI and the allowance for low income pensioners.
4. Review and increase in the amount provided for basic needs to GMI recipients, which was set at €480 in 2014 when the GMI legislation was approved. Since then 7 years have gone by, the cost of living has risen, prices of essential goods have skyrocketed and the amount remains at €480.
5. The creation of adequate and satisfactory child protection structures.
6. Modernize key legislation such as the Children’s Law, the Adoption Law, the Law on the Operation of Homes for the Elderly and Disabled, which are outdated with provisions that do not meet and respond to contemporary demands and needs.

The Deputy Minister of Social Welfare committed himself to a number of issues. AKEL will support anything that moves in the correct direction and at the same time will continue to intervene – both inside and outside Parliament – until we see measures in practice that will really ensure a real welfare state.