Cabinet reviews progress on 88 key reforms
The cabinet on Friday at an extraordinary session was briefed on the 88 flagship goals of the government that include reforms in health, education, welfare, environmental issues and migration.
According to Undersecretary to the President Irini Piki, 51 of the 88 goals have been completed or will be in the coming weeks. Of those 51 goals, 38 have been fully completed and 13 will be completed within that timeframe.
The remaining 37 goals are in progress but subject to various delays she said but timetables have now been set. There are many other goals, she said but the focus on Friday was on the 88 flagship actions.
Piki was speaking after the briefing for all cabinet members, chaired by President Nikos Christodoulides.
“The president asked the cabinet members to intensify their efforts on these projects and actions,” she said, adding that a detailed account of the government’s work in 2024 would be made by Christodoulides on completion of his second year as president in early 2025.
Some of the delays in outstanding actions and goals have come about due to being caught up at the legal service or in parliament. Others include grant schemes that need further consultation.
As far as completed project are concerned, the government cites the photovoltaics for all scheme, the faster processing of asylum applications, local government reform, timely payment of benefits and the creation of a “patient” ombudsman.
Still in progress but at parliament are the increase of maternity leave from 18 to 22 weeks and the new legislative framework for Turkish Cypriot properties.
Other goals still in the works include the affordable housing scheme, efforts EU-wide to declare parts of Syria as “safe” for returns, the lowering of the voting age to 17 with automatic registration of all new voters, expansion of mental health and palliative care and upgrading foster care and adoption laws. They also include 300 new bus stops and shelters, professional status for artists, green taxation and hate speech laws among others.
“What is important is to implement the actions within the time frame that has been set and it does not mean that an action that we judge today if it is not exactly in line with the original planning, that it will not be implemented,” said Piki.
“For this very reason the specific special cabinet meetings are held. This is the fourth one so that we can all see together, collectively, how we can speed up some of these actions”.
Piki said “many more” actions were being implemented than the 88 specified.
“This follow-up and special meeting today only dealt with the specific flagship actions set for the second year of the administration,” she said.
Information and details on the course of implementation of all government goals actions are available on the website www.diakivernisi.gov.cy