General Secretary of the C.C. of AKEL A.Kyprianou press conference on AKEL’s proposals on Social Policy
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 29th March 2021, Nicosia
“Eventually I had to borrow from friends to have the baby examined because they have cut our care allowance.” “Many times he sleeps without having eaten.” “I’ve been left alone to take care of my grandchildren, my pension isn’t enough to cover my needs.” “We have been sleeping in the car for three months now.”
We do not know if the ruling government forces and ruling DISY party know about the stories of these people and thousands of others who are suffering.
What is certain is that all these people and all these stories highlight the inexistence of a welfare state and the absence of a comprehensive social policy on the part of the Anastasiades-DISY Government.
People have paid a heavy price for the consequences of the banking crisis. They have had enough of seeing the few get richer, at a time when wages are falling, rights are being curbed, prices and rents are rising sharply.
At a time when family income is declining month by month and the cost of living and other family needs are increasing, the state’s strategy and actions must be specific within the context of an overall social family policy.
Towards this end, as AKEL, we consider the following as imperative:
– Review and formulation of child and single parent benefits according to the changing needs of families.
– Promotion of paid parental leave to the father or the mother.
– Implementation of a subsidy scheme based on the family income for food allowance at child care and nurseries, child protection and creative employment centres for low and middle income families.
– Increase resources to Local Government for the creation of family support structures and the operation of low-cost care infrastructures for children, infants and the elderly.
HOUSING
The housing problem is today one of society’s most pressing problems, especially for the popular strata. The industry selling passports and the construction of towers/skyscrapers has skyrocketed rents and the price of properties. The sell-off of the Cyprus Co-operative Bank and immunity of the private banks, the legislative framework on foreclosures that was enacted at the behest of the banks, the absence of a comprehensive state housing policy, the limited lending for acquiring a home for a large section of the population, especially for young people, and the dramatic reduction in wages has made housing an expensive privilege instead of a social right for all.
The Anastasiades government, instead of strengthening the state’s housing policy, chose to curb it. Every year the funds allocated for housing, according to the data released by the state Statistical Service, are being reduced both in percentage and numerical terns
The recently announced government housing schemes for the revitalization of the countryside do not in any way solve the housing problem in the slightest. The funds allocated are not enough to provide real support to thousands of people on low incomes who cannot afford the price of unbearable rents, loan installments, the cost of acquiring a home and meeting living expenses.
As AKEL, we believe that the following measures should be promoted immediately within the context of an overall social housing policy:
- Establishment of a Central Housing Policy body.
- Increase the amount of rent that is granted to individuals receiving the Minimal Guaranteed Income and refugees.
- Implementation of a rent subsidy scheme according to socio-economic criteria.
- Implementation of social housing programs with the central administration and local self-government as the implementation bodies.
- Restoration of scaled taxation on real estate property and special taxation on plots of land or buildings that remain unused in cities.
- Tax relief for the construction of a first home for young couples.
- Tax incentives for landlords renting to students, as well as a reworking of student rent subsidy criteria.
PENSIONERS
As far as the majority of our pensioners are concerned, the Anastasiades government presents as an achievement the increase of the low-income pensioner benefit, so that there is no pension below the poverty line. As AKEL we welcomed this decision, as this was one of our longstanding demands. In essence, however, the problems of pensioners aren’t solved by simply approving some increases in benefits.
An overall policy to provide support for the elderly is demanded that should be supported by infrastructures. At a time when care services need support, instead of the Anastasiades government strengthening protection and social care structures for the elderly, it proceeded to shut them down, paving the way and serving private interests. Especially during the pandemic, the government abandoned the social care structures unsecured, resulting in a sharp increase in the number of coronavirus cases.
This is confirmed by the reports of the European Union which underline that Cyprus’ record is ranked among the lowest in terms of expenditure on long-term care.
As AKEL we demand for pensioners:
- Abolition of the 12% penalty charge for those who choose to retire at the age of 63.
- Reform of the pension system to ensure adequate and dignified pensions for all and a dignified standard of living.
- Improving regulations concerning the operation of infrastructures for retirement homes.
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
As far as people with disabilities are concerned, Cyprus is ranked as the country at the bottom of the table across the European Union on related expenditure. Figures released by the European Statistical Office reveal that one in two people with disabilities in Cyprus is unable to cover his/her expenses.
The absence of a comprehensive plan and support measures based on their needs is driving people with disabilities to impoverishment and violates their human rights and dignity.
The economic support of people with disabilities is covered by the legislation on the Minimum Guaranteed Income (MGI). The problems of people with disabilities are treated in a levelling way, while at the same time the support given to the individual needs that each disability creates is inadequate.
Since 2014, we have been expecting the government to fulfill its commitment to draft separate legislation regarding the support provided towards people with disabilities. Finally, we note the unprecedented disrespect demonstrated by the government to the organizations representing the disabled, as decisions on issues that concern them are approved without applying the Law which provides for the obligatory consultation with these very organizations.
As AKEL, we believe that there must be a comprehensive strategic planning for the implementation of social protection programs and the application of a targeted policy of benefits/allowances with the ultimate goal of integrating people with disabilities into society and ensuring their quality of life. The following are demanded:
- The immediate and full implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
- Policies providing support to people with disabilities should focus in elaborating specialised legislation based on the needs that each disability creates and not within the framework of the law on the Minimum Guaranteed Income.
- Consultation with disability organizations on issues that concern them.
As far as social policy as a whole is concerned, it is obvious that the government’s one-sided insistence of the MGI, the cuts imposed in social expenditure, which are the lowest recorded across the EU for the vulnerable groups of the population and the closure of state social care programs, have led to a shrinking welfare state and ineffective measures to combat poverty.
Furthermore, it is worrying that Social Welfare Services (SWS) are it is generally acknowledged unable to effectively play the complex roles that today’s social realities demand. The SWS have in effect been transformed into instruments of the MGI scheme, constantly generating problems of centralization, bureaucracy, conservatism and improper use of human resources based on the qualifications and knowledge that it has.
The delay being observed in the modernization of the SWS is accompanied by tragic results in terms of the loss of human lives and increased domestic violence. This whole situation proves that the social policy implemented by the government is totally inadequate.
The Anastasiades government and ruling DISY are advertising the MGI as a great social reform. What is being done in practice is only to support extreme poverty with funds coming from reductions and cuts from the small and medium-sized and poor strata of the population. The neo-liberal concept of the Anastasiades-DISY government on social policy restricts itself to just the Minimum Guaranteed Income. At the same time, it is dismantling the welfare state and social infrastructures piece by piece, handing them over to the private sector.
Five years after announcing it, the Minister of Labour proceeded to announce its plan to reorganize the SWS, which limits their role to a staff level and assigns the role of specialized intervention and implementation of social programs, using the method of purchasing services in the private sector. The creation of a Ministry of Social Welfare was also announced, which will be essentially the evolution of SWS. This in itself is an indirect admission of the political failure of the Anastasiades government with regards the modernisation of the SWS.
Society needs modern, efficient and humane SWS to respond to their extremely sensitive and crucial mission.
As AKEL we have a comprehensive package of measures for the modernization of the SWS which includes, among others:
- Decentralization of social policy structures and services from the central to local government.
- Operation of community-based social services which must be accompanied with the opening of their services to citizens.
Creation within the SWS of specialized community-based services that will extend to the family, school, social work in the context of health and mental health care, prisons, National Guard, etc.
- Operation on a permanent basis of interdepartmental and inter-ministerial multi-thematic scientific teams.
These are our proposals for the key issues with regards social policy. We will soon have meetings with organizations and bodies dealing with various aspects of social policy to listen to their views and discuss our proposals with them.
Working people, the weak and the vulnerable groups of the population have assumed the brunt of the consequences of the anti-social crisis.
The time has come to promote policies that protect and support them.
