Statements by the General Secretary of AKEL, Stefanos Stefanou, after the visit to the Anthoupolis People’s Market

 

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

Every time we have the opportunity to meet with people, as we did today at the People’s Market of Anthoupolis, they convey a message of anguish.  Price hikes and the high cost of living are sapping household incomes and putting a lot of pressure on businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises.

It is clear that state assistance and the intervention of the state is demanded to help people cope with these very difficult times and extremely difficult period we are going through.  The state has the possibility to do that, but the Anastasiades-DISY government stubbornly refuses to do so.  So far, the government has accumulated increased revenues, compared to what it had budgeted, revenues amounting to more than a billion euros.  A very large part of this billion comes from the increased revenues the government has collected due to VAT.  Its logical – increased prices, increased VAT.

Unfortunately, however, the Government, as part of its long-standing social callousness, is not helping people and small and medium-sized enterprises.  It is characteristic that recent EU statistics rank Cyprus fourth from bottom of the table regarding the intervention and assistance given by the state to households and businesses.

We are under no illusion that this government in the last months of its 10-year rule will help people and small and medium-sized enterprises.  It has never done so.  This is precisely why this DISY government must go, which has led to social and economic inequalities skyrocketing.

A President with a progressive programme should be elected to the Presidency to address the difficulties and put Cyprus back on the path to progress, prosperity and well-being. A President and a government that cares about the people and small and medium-sized enterprises.  That President is Andreas Mavroyiannis.