PERMANENT secretaries of government ministries yesterday blasted the “insulting and scornful” remarks in the media, made against civil servants.
The group of 11 permanent secretaries, among the highest-paid people in the public service – earning some €123,000 annually – “expresses its strong displeasure over the offensive and scornful statements made to the media against civil servants and especially high-ranking officials,” a written statement said.
These are people who “with hard daily work for countless hours ensure the smooth operation of the state machinery to better serve the public.”
The permanent secretaries voiced their full support for PASYDY and especially its chief Glafkos Hadjipetrou for their honest efforts to support sensible, just and balanced measures to exit the economic crisis in which civil servants are prepared to contribute.
On Monday, civil servants said they would not accept any reduction in salaries and complained that they were made scapegoats while big business and tax evasion were ignored.
AKEL chief Andros Kyprianou said his party would not accept any unilateral measures – targeting workers only. “Profits and riches should also contribute towards the resolution of the economy’s problems,” Kyprianou said.
He added that well paid public servants could also contribute but noted that not all government employees were paid several thousand a month.
Kyprianou also accused previous administrations for helping create the current state of affairs, which the Demetris Christofias government now had to correct.
Meanwhile the opposition continued its attack on the government over the state of the economy.
DISY deputy chairman Averof Neophytou criticised the finance minister for “celebrating” over the forecasts of the European Commission on the economy, saying that he should be worried instead.
According to the EU forecast released on Monday, Cyprus will record a 0.5 per cent growth rate in 2010 and a 5.9 per cent deficit, which meets the government’s target of a shortfall of under 6.0 per cent.
The growth rate for 2011 and 2012 will accelerate to 1.5 per cent and 2.2 per cent respectively, the EU said.
“If we view these forecasts sensibly, they should concern us,” Neophytou said. Despite the 1.5 per cent growth rate in 2011 and 2.2 per cent in 2012 “it is observed that the pubic deficit will remain at the same levels and there will be a significant increase in public debt to 68.2 per cent (of GDP) at the end of 2012.”
The DISY official also charged the government of misleading the public when they said they would cut the civil servants’ salaries by 2.0 per cent.
“The ongoing discussion is not to cut salaries; the discussion between AKEL and DIKO is instead of paying €150 million in raises they will pay €115 or €120 or €125 (million),” Neophytou said.
DIKO and AKEL will meet this afternoon to discuss the proposed measures.
