Statements by the General Secretary of AKEL, Stefanos Stefanou during his visit to the Industrial zone of Ayios Athanasios

 

13 February 2024, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

Today we are visiting the Ayios Athanasios Industrial zone in Limassol, aiming to meet both the managements and workers of companies and the reason is quite simple.

On the one hand we as a Party are interested in having a dynamic and good entrepreneurship and on the other hand for quality jobs with rights and good incomes for working people to exist. We have elaborated specific proposals for both.

We exchanged views both with the management here and with the workers. As far as it is in our hands as an opposition party, both in and outside the House of Representatives with our proposals and action, we are trying to make our own contribution so that we have both dynamic entrepreneurships and good quality jobs.

At the moment, Cypriot businesses are concerned about specific issues such as the issue of investments, support for investment and various other issues that have to do with the development of entrepreneurship, but everyone is raising the issue of energy costs.

Energy costs are too high. They have become even higher in recent years due to the fact that investments that should have been made by the state have not been made. Today we are paying very high costs because of the pollutants we have to pay. Last year we paid about 350 million. This year it is estimated that this amount will rise to half a billion Euros for pollutants. This is money that is coming out of the pockets of consumers, whether they are businesses or households.

Tomorrow AKEL will hold a press conference to outline 6 proposals, 3 for immediate implementation to reduce electricity costs and 3 concerning structural solutions in the medium term that must and can be implemented so that we can confront the high energy costs that are exerting a lot of pressure on households and especially on small and medium-sized enterprises.

Our visit here today has helped us to discuss even more and to go into more detail about energy issues, at least those that businesses are facing.

It is not a coincidence that we are visiting two dairy companies because especially halloumi is a very important export product for Cyprus. It is in fact Cyprus’ second export product after medicines.

If we put in the whole production process and the various sectors of the primary sector that have to do with halloumi, we will see that it is the sector that makes the greatest contribution to Cyprus’ economy as far as this product is concerned. We wanted to hear in view of the debate that is taking place surrounding the haloumi formula, about how they are dealing with the various issues because we also want to be informed, to be full briefed so we can help our Cyprus, economy, business and of course all the workers who are employed in this important sector of the Cyprus economy.

13.02.2024