Cabinet has approved the Finance Ministry’s proposed package of much-needed public service reforms but the Mediterranean island’s mighty union of public servants (PASYDY) is still calling for additional consultations.
PASYDY’s chief Glafcos Hadjipetrou told Phileleftheros that they are unhappy with the approval since some chapters are still open. He also described the government’s stand as ‘unorthodox’ considering that the dialogue is incomplete.
“I do not agree with the hurry, the Finance Ministry should have called upon PASYDY again to inform us of the changes within the new draft bills,” Hadjipetrou said.
“We had requested some clarifications and explanations from the Ministry of Finance over specific provisions of the bills which had not been answered,” he added.
By majority, the House of Representatives rejected six proposed bills that fundamentally reformed the public service back in 2015.
But after years of consultations with all stakeholders, the Ministry prepared a new package with provisions that, according to the government, are pushing aside all of the opposition’s reservations.
At the same time, Hadjipetrou avoided commenting on the substance of the new bills arguing that PASIDY does not know exactly what the new legislation includes.
Meanwhile, the bills have not been sent to the Parliament yet but the Government has begun to send support messages to opposition centre Diko in a bid to achieve the required majority.
Only the votes of the 18 ruling Disy MPs are the certain ones and without Diko’s 10 votes the bills will again not be approved.
At the inauguration ceremony yesterday of the revamped premises of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Nicosia, President Nicos Anastasiades public called upon Diko leader Nicolas Papadopoulos to join the giant effort towards the modernisation of the public service.
The President argued that the implementation of these reforms will appease the state’s international creditors who have set conditions of this kind.
Nonetheless, Diko party avoids taking a public stand on this.
Read more:
https://in-cyprus.com/public-sector-unions-clash/
