Meeting of the General Secretary of AKEL with a delegation from the Pancyprian Organization for the Rehabilitation of War-stricken and Disabled Persons

 

Government inaction and insensitivity towards war disabled and victims

3 September 2021, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

The General Secretary of the Central Committee of AKEL Stefanos Stefanou held a meeting today with a delegation from the Pancyprian Organization for the Rehabilitation of War-stricken and Disabled Persons at the offices of the Central Committee of AKEL. The AKEL delegation also included AKEL MP and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Refugees-Enclaved-Missing-War-stricken Persons Nikos Kettiros, former AKEL MP Skevi Koukouma and the Coordinator of the Social Policy Bureau of the C.C. of AKEL Haris Pashias. The meeting was a continuation of AKEL’s support towards the Organisation, but also of the interventions carried out by AKEL all through the previous period to promote the Organization’s demands.

Through the fruitful dialogue and exchange of views that took place, the government’s inaction and insensitivity in solving many of their problems was confirmed. The state needs to listen and find ways to resolve the numerous problems these people face as a minimum recognition of their struggles and contribution to our country. Problems that are not only physical, but also psychological. In particular, AKEL has promoted some of the Organization’s demands to the relevant Ministries with its interventions, but without them being met.

As AKEL we believe that the state must proceed to:

– increase the amount of the special monthly pension for the war-stricken persons as a compensation for the medical expenses they have to pay for treatments and/or medication,

– abolish the 12% deduction for early retirement for war veterans/disabled persons,

– the provision of home care to disabled war veterans outside the Guaranteed Minimum Income procedures and,

– the inclusion of these persons among the beneficiaries of the special electricity tariff from the Cyprus Electricity Authority (AHK).

AKEL’s position is that war veterans and disabled persons must be treated with respect and gratitude for their contribution to the defence of democracy and freedom in Cyprus. The General Secretary of AKEL stressed to the Pancyprian Organization for the Rehabilitation of War-stricken and Disabled Persons that AKEL will continue to stand on the side of the war-stricken and disabled persons for their just demands to be met.