The special honorary allowance granted to the prisoners of war and survivors of 1974 isn’t being paid

Statement by AKEL MP Nikos Kettiros and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Refugees, Enclaved, Missing and War-stricken Persons, after the Committee’s session

12 July 2022

“…The second issue that was discussed outside the Committee’s agenda is the information that the Ministry of Labour is not ready to pay the honorary allowance granted to the prisoners of war, captured and war-stricken victims of July 1974. This fund had been approved by the plenary of the House of Representatives and the Government had initially pledged to pay it monthly. The Anastasiades government subsequently amended the scheme and indicated that it would be paid in two instalments every six months, starting in June 2022. When the time came they announced that they were not ready and that it would be paid in July, and now they are referring the payment to August. 

We spoke with the Minister of Labor, who reported that they are experiencing problems with the registers that will be used and that is why there are delays. What we conveyed to him is that he can proceed with paying all those who were already ready to be paid and then gradually pay the rest.

What the war-stricken people and 1974 prisoners of war should know is that what the House could and was responsible to do, we have done in time. Now any delays are totally and entirely the responsibility of the Government itself.”