articles | 06 July 2020

House passes supplementary budget to cover government schemes

Parliament unanimously passed the third supplementary budget for 2020, worth just over €231 million on Friday.

The additional funds are intended to cover increased costs resulting from the extension until October 2020  of the labour ministry’s schemes aimed at further supporting the economy to address the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking at the plenum, the head of the House finance committee, Angelos Votsis said some of the money would cover special independent services, individuals under international protection, plus €20 million for medicines and vaccinations.

Sheep and goat farmers will be given €1.5 million, while potato farmers are expected to receive €1.8 million due weather damage and other problems in the agricultural sector.

Another €8 million will be given to implement the plan to run desalination units.

The parliament also decided €14 million would be given to cover hotel costs for individuals receiving international protection, while another €14 million would go to the Cyprus Agricultural Payments Organisation for necessary credits to cover co-financed programmes related to direct payments-hectare subsidies.

MPs also approved increased expenditure to cover the costs of sending patients to medical centres abroad for treatments not covered by the public sector under the “Financial Aid Plan for Health Services”.

The budget also includes funds for hiring 243 teachers, increasing the total from 12,980 to 13,223.

According to the report accompanying the bill, the supplementary budget will affect the fiscal balance the tune of 1.14% of GDP.

Source: Cyprus Mail

Cooperation Partners
  • Logo for Love Cyprus Deputy Ministry of Tourism
  • Logo for Invest Cyprus
  • Logo for CYFA Cyprus
  • Logo for Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry
  • Logo for Ministry of Energy, Commerce, Industry and Tourism
  • Logo for Cyprus International Businesses Association
  • Logo for Cyprus Shipping Chamber
  • Logo for Association of Cyprus Banks
  • Logo for Cyprus Investment Funds Association