Press Conference of Andros Kyprianou, General Secretary of AKEL, on the issue of the economy
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 17th May 2016, Nicosia
Developments in society and the economy in the last three years are much different than we were used to in the past.
The economy of the country changed brutally after March 2013.
Cypriot society is experiencing insecurity and the incomes of the majority of the people have fallen to the benefit of a privileged few.
To address the current inequalities a change in economic policy is needed. The philosophy of vicious austerity needs to be ended.
We need policies promoting growth to restore the welfare state and to improve the living standards of working people and the vulnerable groups of the populations.
We want the functioning of a modern state, where economic growth and social welfare will be in harmony.
Our economic philosophy has the common people at its heart and is based on the following principles:
- Enhancing public investment for the development of the economy and improvement of available income for the whole of society.
- Promoting tax policy aimed at the more equitable redistribution of national income, combating poverty and social exclusion and supporting socially vulnerable groups.
- Division of financial burdens according to each one’s income and economic capability.
- Creation of a humane and socially sensitive state, which protects and supports the economically vulnerable sections of society.
- Tidying up of public finances and combating of tax evasion in order to release resources for growth and social cohesion.
- Maintaining the social character of public utility organizations and their immediate tidying up, restructuring and modernization so that they can operate efficiently and constitute a driving force for growth and the further strengthening of state finances.
- Elaboration of a single national housing policy. Cuts in expenditure on housing policy, especially for refugees, limits the possibility of a large section of the people to obtain housing.
- The introduction of measures and policies to alleviate over-debt households and SME’s. Measures to reduce the financing of costs, to unfair charges should be terminated and the right to housing be protected.
- Defense of the social character in the fields of Health, Education, Sport and Culture.
On 22nd May, the people can make the difference
ANNEX
At a parliamentary level, AKEL defended the interests of workers and the people of Cyprus in general:
- We struggled to protect from any foreclosures the primary family home and small business premises through a loan of up to 350,000.
- We tabled concrete proposals to improve the mess caused by the “reform” of social policy and the implementation of the so-called Guaranteed Minimum Income.
- We proposed the radical revision of the tax on immovable property rates in order to restore more equitable and balanced distribution of the burden.
- We submitted a proposal for a draft Bill with which we wanted to exercise control over the Labour Minister in the issuing of decrees on the issue of extending shop working.
- AKEL tabled a Bill for the extension of the application of Collective Agreements.
- We waged the battle to save public wealth and assets. We tabled a draft Bill to suspend the application of the Law on Privatization until 2017.
- We have tabled an amendment to safeguard the Funds for Occupational Retirement Provisions, including Provident Funds and Pension Funds.
- We tabled a bill aiming at protecting the labour rights of people who are absent on sick leave
