AKEL will vote against the 2022 state budge: The budget is a rehearsal for the presidential campaign

 

 

8 December 2021, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

The plenary of the Central Committee of AKEL today discussed the 2022 State Budget submitted by the Government of DISY and unanimously decided to vote against it in Parliament.

At the same time, the Central Committee of AKEL discussed and approved the amendments to be tabled to the Budget aimed at confronting anti-social policies, abuses and waste and for a better parliamentary scrutiny.

With the amendments it will table, AKEL aims, among other things, to cut off funds promoting privatisations, to exercise control over the management of EU funds for migration, as well as over expenditure related to the Akamas region and asphalt plant relocation projects.

In addition, AKEL calls for the freezing of the funds in relation to the advisors of the President and his Ministers, while at the same time, it will table an amendment that would prohibit the government’s political appointees from being granted permanent civil servant status.

For yet another year, AKEL also calls for in an amendment it will table that the entire fund for the student grant be allocated until it is exhausted in order to provide support to students in need.

The government’s budget is more like a rehearsal for the 2023 presidential election campaign than a plan for the future of the country. The Anastasiades-DISY government, up to its neck in corruption, arrogance and in-fighting, neither wants, nor indeed can set out a vision for Cyprus and its people. The major problems of concern to the majority of Cypriot society – inequalities, price hikes and the high cost of living, the deregulation of labour relations, the continuation of foreclosures – are not being resolved and are not even a concern for the government. It is characteristic that our country is still lagging behind in indicators with regards social protection, such as, for example, expenditure on housing.

Behind all the big empty talk, there is reality itself, which is none other than the low rate of implementation of the developmental budgets of previous years. One in three projects promised in the budget by the government never materialise and remain on paper. Furthermore, the reforms that the country needs – such as the Reform of local government and the Civil Service, and the National Health Scheme – are being undermined by the government and the ruling DISY government itself.

AKEL will vote against the budget of the Anastasiades-DISY government because the country needs a different course. Real change in the policies, priorities, tone and ethos of governance is demanded.