AKEL replies to the Finance Minister on AKEL’s proposals

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

22 November 2022, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

The Minister of Finance does not need to repeat himself to convince us that he prefers convenient monologues. Otherwise he would have responded to AKEL’s request to discuss the taxation of excess profits in the energy sector, which was raised twice in letters sent to him by the General Secretary of AKEL, to which he did not even reply out of elementary courtesy.

What he spews against AKEL is a smokescreen to hide the real motives behind his policies. Namely, to protect powerful economic/financial interests in the energy and fuel sector and to leave society unprotected. As it has been doing for a year now, when the high cost of living and price increases have brought households and businesses to their knees.

For months now, the whole world has been discussing and taking measures to tax super-profits, but Mr. Petrides and his government are still looking for a solution. Their incompetence is costing society and they can no longer hide their unwillingness to harm powerful economic interests.