Filenews 24 May 2022
Concern about the issue of population ageing was expressed on Tuesday by members of the Ad Hoc Parliamentary Committee for the Study of the Demographic Problem, which discussed the preliminary results of the 2021 population census, while the session also addressed the issue of the number of foreign nationals in the country and, according to DIKO MP, Zacharias Koulias, have requested a session behind closed doors, with the competent Ministers and heads of security forces, to discuss the issues of irregular migration.
The President of the Committee, ELAM MP Linos Papagiannis, in statements after the session said that from the preliminary results of the 2021 population census, "particularly dangerous" conclusions can be drawn, stating that, for the first time, children under 15 years of age are only 15.9% of the population while at the same time the over-65s are at 16.7%.
"This means that we have a clear indication of an ageing population which will have too many knock-on effects," he said, adding that there is still one element "which unfortunately is very, very worrying."
According to him, "at the moment there is a huge percentage of foreigners in our country. To clarify, there are foreigners who are legally working in the Republic, and European citizens, but there are also a very large number that in some cases it is unclear and concerns illegal immigrants".
He added that if those who have come after the registration in Cyprus are counted, "then, once again, I mention that our country is being invaded. "
Mr. Papagiannis said that the rulers must understand "that we have exceeded every margin and at the moment the percentage of asylum seekers is above 5.75%. We have exceeded by six times the appropriate 1% mentioned in the European Directives".
He said there are areas in Cyprus "where our compatriots are now in the minority," and there is an indignation among citizens that must finally be addressed.
"So we call on the government, at last, to do what a serious state should do and see the examples of other serious countries for the measures they are following," he said.
The deputy President of the Committee, MP of DISY, Prodromos Alambritis, said that they are waiting for the completion of the results, but for them he "rang the bell" for two very important findings.
He said the percentage of the population under the age of 15 is now at 15.9% at the same time that the figure of 65 and older reached 16.7%, "a finding that shows the problem of the ageing of our population".
At the same time, he added, the average household size fell to 2.6 per household while in 1976 it was at 4, in 1992 at 3.2 and in 2011 at 2.8. This, he said, shows the trend shown by previous Commission sessions in terms of birth figures that have been steadily decreasing in recent years.
He also said that the percentage of foreign nationals is at 21.1% of the population and that they expect further data, and analysis of the final results.
Mr. Alambritis said that the state should invest in supporting families and young couples to create their own families, and to find ways to support births.
"Through recommendations that we have submitted to our committee, even with a direct amount for each birth for more than the second child, but also to support families with three or more children," he said.
He added that they are waiting for the integrated policy of the Demographic Policy Body to see if commission recommendations have been included in it.
Mr. Koulias said that the competent services, such as the Statistical Service, and the labour office that deals with actuarial studies, "painted with the darkest colours the issue of the low birth rate in Cyprus and the great dangers created by this evolving situation".
He said that he requested and was adopted by the Committee "that now the uncontrolled flow of illegal immigration seriously threatens national security and we have requested that a meeting be held behind closed doors, that the competent Ministers of Defence, Interior, Justice, the Chief of Police, the Chief of the National Guard and the Chief of the BPH be present, in order to raise the issues from the outset".
He also said that he has asked the Deputy Ministry of Welfare, "which handles all these packages of money" to end the payment of allowances and to pay with vouchers only for food, clothing and footwear, as was done before. He also suggested, as he said, that the money for rent, instead of being paid to asylum seekers, so that in many cases it doesn't end up where it should, should be paid directly to the owners of the accommodation, if they present a rental document, "so that the state can also cut off taxation and know where everyone lives".
Mr. Koulias said that he also suggested that the welfare offices that are "for the unhappy Cypriot citizens" should be relieved of the workload, since as he said, "in fact they deal only with illegal immigrants and not with Cypriot citizens who worked for so many years and paid taxes in order to have a safeguard during the difficult time".
CNA
