CYPRUS
The confrontation between the Cypriot Government and its bureaucracy over cuts to pay during the country’s economic crisis eight years ago has reached a new level, with demands that allowances should also be fully restored.
The main Government workers union, PASYDY said this referred to “shift, overtime, travel, rent, good conduct, overseas and other allowances”.
“Reductions in salaries and pensions, a freeze in incremental pay rises and the cost of living allowance, the right to free health care and cuts to the retirement bonus, are already the object of a case currently before the Supreme Court,” PASYDY said.
In March, the Administrative Court ruled that a freeze on incremental pay rises, a 3 per cent contribution to pensions, and a reduction in PS employees’ pay were in violation of Article 23 of the Constitution regarding the protection of the right to property.
The judgement applied to PS staff as well as those employed in the broader public sector, such as semi-governmental organisations.
As such, the pay reductions were deemed null and void and the applicants were entitled to compensation, effective immediately.
That decision was immediately appealed by the Government, sending the case before the Supreme Court.
Various estimates have been floated for how much the decisions might cost, should the Administrative Court’s ruling be upheld, with Minister of Finance, Harris Georgiades (pictured) warning recently the economy would seriously suffer.
Nicosia, 25 October 2019
