AKEL ON PRIVATISATIONS
Statement by AKEL C.C. Spokesperson George Loucaides
The Cypriot people are following the ruling government implement step by step their long-standing political position for the privatization of the profitable Semi-governmental organisations, refusing from the beginning up to this moment too, to consider even alternatives that have been submitted.
Perhaps the worst of all is that they lack the honesty and political courage to defend their well-known dogmatic position which glorifies and idolizes everything private and at the same time denigrates and demonizes everything public. It is as if it’s the banks that led us to the destruction were public.
The philosophy that distinguishes all the actions of the government and ruling forces is simple: Socialization of the enormous damage caused by private banks on the one hand and on the other privatizing profits of the Semi- governmental organisations which belong to the whole of society and are public property.
Unlike the rulers, the overwhelming majority of the people fully understand that the selling-off of the Semi-governmental organisations will result in the loss of hundreds of millions of Euros in recurring revenues for the state and society; creating dangers to our country’s national security, given that crucial areas will be controlled by foreign and local private interests. Cypriot citizens are fully aware that a distortion of the market will occur from the subsequent private monopolies or oligopolies, which will operate as a cartel by increasing charges and reducing the quality of services provided at the expense of consumers. Privatisation will act against citizens who have to pay higher fees. Everyone must be made aware of this this. Working people in these organizations know very well that those who will not be sacked will inevitably suffer reductions in their earnings and their rights will be abolished.
As AKEL, we repeat that we will never accept the privatization of the profitable Semi-governmental organisations and that we will stand alongside the working people and the vast majority of our people to resist the selling-off of public wealth.
