Coronavirus: Akel and Edek apply for special state assistance, Elam claims

Nationalists Elam on Thursday blasted the Akel and Edek parties for having applied for state assistance due to the coronavirus situation.

In a statement, Elam alleged that Akel and Edek applied for the special scheme where corporations can seek financial support from the state if their turnover has declined by over 25 per cent exclusively due to Covid-19 restrictions.

The party said this was self-evidently a scam.

“They found the chance, without any consideration for these critical times and the difficulties experienced by people, to essentially steal from the state.”

Elam reiterated its proposal for the state to save cash by cutting various benefits enjoyed by state officials, including MPs.

Road travel and hospitality allowances should be suspended, and payment of the next 13th salary deferred.

In addition, the government should suspend disbursements to beneficiaries of multiple state pensions.

“Unfortunately, there has been no response from the government or any other political party to our proposals,” Elam said.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.