Just five top civil servants agree to wage cut

AROUND five senior state officials have so far agreed to Finance Minister Charilaos Stavrakis’ call to commit to a 10 per cent cut in gross salary for two years, the Cyprus Mail learned yesterday.

In a letter sent to dozens of the island’s most senior civil servants, independent officials and heads of regulatory bodies earlier this month, Stavrakis asked to follow the example of the president and his ministers and volunteer for a 10 per cent cut, that will be implemented for the first time at the end of this month.

But according to a senior government official, so far only five officials have agreed to do that.

Nevertheless, the official said some more time will be given to those who may be wishing to come forward.

It is believed that the paltry response is linked to the mighty civil servants union PASYDY’s angry response to the minister’s move.

The union described the letter as ‘hostile’ and ‘unacceptable’ and called on its members to ignore it.

It also threatened to refuse to discuss public sector austerity measures if it were not withdrawn.

The minister had stressed that compliance with his request would only be a symbolic gesture, sending out the message that everyone should be prepared to make sacrifices for the greater good.

According to estimates, the annual savings from this measure would only amount to a modest €1.0 million.

It is also understood that deputies, who agreed to a pay cut, have not been asked yet to do so officially.

Green party deputy Giorgos Perdikis told the Cyprus Mail that he will be raising the matter during the party leaders’ meeting today.

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.