A special session of the National Council for the discussion of the document for a decentralized federation was requested by AKEL in a letter to the President of the Republic a month ago, said the General Secretary of the party, Stefanos Stefanou.
Mr. Stefanou, when asked to comment, during his visit to the communities of Temvria, Kaliana, Galata and Kakopetria, the publication of Kathimerini on the document for a decentralized federation, said that AKEL had asked for information from the President during the last session of the National for the content of the position it has made over the last four years on the decentralized federation.
“He simply said (ss: the President) that a working document had been prepared which he had indeed given us. “Because he told us that it is confidential, we did not even say that we have this document and we did not give it to anyone,” he added.
“We do not know who made it public, but I must say this: we sent a letter to the President of the Republic about a month ago asking for a special session of the National Council to discuss this document because we consider such documents useful. to discuss them with each other in the National Council and not to become the subject of public debate, possibly controversies and counter-appeals “, said Mr. Stefanou.
The second, he continued, “what I want to say is that what is included as an initial idea, to delegate the implementation of responsibilities by the central government within the federation to the regions, is something that is included in the existing convergences and is not something new.”
He added: “I would like to comment on this at the moment, nothing more, because we are ready to express our views within the National Council and I would not like to violate what we believe should be discussed at the level of the of the National Council and not to be the subject of public debate “, he noted.
Scenario
Asked if a strong scenario has been developed in view of the presidential elections, specific names are being written and said for AKEL and if the procedures are at an advanced stage, Mr. Stefanou said that “for AKEL they will not decide any publications or whispers about AKEL will be decided by its people, through the procedures provided by its Statute “.
Therefore, he said, “I will not add to this scenario that comes and goes and we listen to it and just smile, because we have not even discussed it and from here one can understand how much truth this script has,” he added.
Visit to the communities of Temvria , Kaliana , Galata and Kakopetria
Mr. Stefanou, in his statements about the visit to the communities of Temvria, Kaliana, Galata and Kakopetria, said that an AKEL delegation, which includes MEP G. Georgiou, the District Secretary of Nicosia-Kyrenia and MP Chr. Christofidis, as well as other executives of the Provincial Organization, P. Hambas, General Secretary of EKA and local executives of AKEL, “we are touring today in the area of Solia, not by chance”.
It is, he continued, a mountainous area at a time when accuracy puts a lot of pressure on consumers, households, producers, small and medium-sized enterprises.
“So we came here following the communication we develop with society, ordinary people to see how accuracy affects life in mountainous areas more. “It is a fact that there are many problems due to the increase in the price of fuel, the increase in heating costs that are most needed in the mountains, the increase in the price of electricity and the increase in basic necessities,” he added.
As he said, it is imperative that the Government “leave the apathetic and indifferent attitude, which it observes and is really interested in protecting consumers from notoriety and see how with concrete measures it will alleviate households and producers and at the same time should also to see how with specific policies and measures it supports the inhabitants of the mountainous areas “.
He also said that the measures announced by the Government have gaps and problems, “although we have had many appeals to the Government throughout the past period, unfortunately we have found reluctance to at least discuss the Government with improvements in them”.
“Now that the need is even greater, we call on the government to respond to our desire, our intention, our effort to contribute so that the problems are addressed,” he noted.
Mr. Stefanou said that it is on the initiative of AKEL that the EAC finally decided to absorb for a four-month part of the increase in electricity and also reminded that AKEL last Thursday submitted a specific bill to reduce the VAT rate on the price of electricity from 19 to 9%.
“Cyprus is above the EU average in energy poverty. So we have to see how we protect consumers. The reduction of VAT exists in the toolbox prepared by the European Commission, making a recommendation to the Member States to use it in order to help the society “, he added.
We do not see, he added, on the part of the government doing anything. “We, as the party of the official opposition, as the party that cares about the common people, the workers, the vulnerable groups, the low-income retirees, those who need the support and warmth of the state, will continue with our proposals and the contact that “We are developing with the people the effort to support the society”, he concluded.
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