The failure of the government’s housing policy is obvious

Statement by AKEL Political Bureau member & Head of Economic Policy Charis Polycarpou

23 September 2022, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

There is not a single aspect of the Cyprus Investment Programme that does not lead to the conclusion that the Anastasiades-DISY government organised a feast of billions on the Cypriot people’s back.

After failing for ten years to endow the Cyprus Land Development Corporation – failing to create affordable housing infrastructures – the government ruling forces decided to give it money in the form of a financial contribution from the ‘golden passports’ scheme. However, here too, as in the whole ‘golden passports’ programme, they weakened criteria, ignored regulations and pursued non-transparent procedures, with the result that the State – and first and foremost citizens – lost millions of euros in revenues.

In the face of this situation, society needs to know where the millions of euros in financial contributions that the Cyprus Land Development Corporation should have received from 2019 onwards have gone.

It needs to know how such an organisation, with a mission to provide affordable housing, ended up powerless and weak.

The failure of the DISY government’s housing policy is obvious.

It is experienced daily by citizens who are being suffocated by Monaco-type rents and London-type prices to acquire housing.

It is experienced by citizens who know that neither DISY President A. Neophytou’s pre-election coupons of hope, nor N.Christodoulides’ empty declarations can provide any prospects.

It is experienced by citizens who realise that our country needs infrastructures, social investment and affordable housing programmes.

By people who appreciate that housing is a right – not a privilege.

This is the vision of Andreas Mavroyiannis.