TWO controversial bills currently before the House were postponed until after the summer break in yesterday’s last plenary session which included more than 80 pieces of legislation.
The bills put off until after the summer included legislation that would modify the issuing of class C licences to heavy load vehicles as well as the contentious proposal to permit fruit and vegetable shops to open on Sunday mornings.
Truck drivers threatened to blockade the main highway to Nicosia yesterday morning unless the bill was withdrawn, while hypermarkets announced on Monday that they would boycott fruit suppliers if deputies went ahead and allow greengrocers to open on Sunday mornings.
House President Marios Garoyian maintained that further discussions are necessary before both bills can be put to the vote, claiming that in the case of the truck drivers, the government was not being held to ransom.
In a marathon session that began at 10am yesterday, more than 80 bills were put to deputies.
Among the bills that were passed yesterday included a scheme for the increase in state benefits, which provides for a 12 per cent increase for this year, compared to last year’s 4.2 per cent increase. Under the new regulations, someone currently receiving €379.31 a month would receive €425. The bill concerned 23,000 recipients of benefit, including those who receive low pensions, one-parent families and those affected by health problems and disabilities. The increases will cost the state a total of €7,285,000 for 2008.
A decrease in the VAT rate at school canteens was also approved last night. Under the new legislation, the rate at school canteens will now drop three per cent to five per cent, while during the debate deputies called on the reduction in the VAT rate to include canteens at military camps.
A proposed bill set to co-ordinate the procedure for conscripts seeking postponement of their military service on health grounds was also passed. This law states that reservists who are public servants at the Defence Ministry and are members of the National Guard could continue their duty as reservists until their retirement if they wish to do so.
Other bills passed yesterday included a modification in the budget given to the Cyprus Theatre Organisation (THOK), the harmonisation of EAC funding given to farmers, legislation set to simplify procedures for the conversion of share capital into euros set to reduce the huge backlog at the Companies’ Registrar as well as the approval of the extension of dual price display until the end of the year. Another law passed will see divorced couples being exempt from having to pay tax on the transfer of properties between themselves.
The plenum will convene in an extraordinary session on Tuesday July 15 at 11am for the condemnation of the military coup and the Turkish invasion of 1974.
