Filenews 4 November 2024
The President of the Republic spoke of a worrying situation, which is evolving, causing serious challenges, referring to the issue of demographics.
In a televised message, President Christodoulides underlined that over the past twenty years, the average fertility rate per woman has decreased, the average age of the mother at the birth of the first child has increased as well as the average life expectancy. At the same time, the proportion of workers and pensioners of the indigenous population diversified negatively.
President Christodoulides added that the Policy Framework for Demographic Recovery consists of three packages of measures with an economic cost exceeding €100,000,000. As he said, we have already started implementing the first package of measures in the first months of the government, with an economic cost approaching €50,000,000.
Referring to specific measures, which are already being implemented with beneficial measurable results for thousands of families, the President of the Republic noted, among other things: • We increased the duration of maternity leave for the first child, from 18 to 22 weeks. • We expanded the recipients of parental leave allowance to include self-employed persons. • We approved the housing subsidy scheme for young couples and young people up to 41 years old. • We approved the subsidy scheme for infertile couples resorting to IVF.
With the aim of further addressing negative demographic trends and reconciling family and professional life, the President announced the second package of measures, worth more than €50,000,000. Among other measures, he announced: • We are increasing the Childbirth Grant from €628 to €1000 for the first child, to €1500 for the second child and to €2000 for the third child. • We extend the beneficiaries of the Parental Leave Allowance by extending the age limit of the child from 8 years to 15 years. • We extend the duration of the Parental Leave Allowance for the second child from 8 weeks to 10 weeks and for the third child from 8 weeks to 12 weeks. • We provide monthly financial support of €200 to mothers who have their first child before the age of 30, for a period of 24 months after childbirth.
The entire message of the President of the Republic
Compatriots,
Our country is moving forward with confidence and optimism.
As a factor of stability in the region of the Southeastern Mediterranean and the wider Middle East.
As an equal member of the European Union and the Eurozone with a substantial say and role.
As a reliable partner of important actors of the international system, such as the United States, with upgraded prospects for cooperation in all areas, as evidenced by my recent meeting with President Biden at the White House.
Our country is changing with a reliable international footprint, strong economic growth, enhanced social cohesion.
At the same time, all this contributes to the effort we started from the first day of taking office to create prospects for the resumption of negotiations on the Cyprus problem, always within the agreed framework, from the point where they have been interrupted, in order to achieve the goal of liberation and reunification of our country.
We move forward with the sole aim and pursuit of building a country that is reunited, modern and prosperous.
Through responsible economic policy, we achieve our fiscal targets and achieve positive growth rates, among the highest in the European Union. The successive upgrades by all rating agencies are a vote of confidence in our economic policy.
We have reduced unemployment to a 15-year low, we are increasing employment by approaching full employment conditions, we are staffing the labour market and we are drastically reducing illegal immigration, while at the same time showing zero tolerance for corruption.
We improve labour relations and strengthen wage adequacy, implement targeted social policy and support vulnerable groups.
We promote digital transformation, modernize public administration, promote innovative solutions for housing and upgrade our Education and health services.
This positive course aimed at improving the daily life of citizens will continue, as will my effort for togetherness, unity and collectivity.
After all, investing in success is the responsible choice for the future of our country and our people.
We manage challenges, we deal with problems, we create prospects, we lay the foundations for a better tomorrow and we methodically implement our Governance Program.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Today, within the framework I mentioned above, I address all of you to announce concrete and costed actions to tackle the demographic problem. A great national challenge that requires the cooperation and commitment of the state and society.
According to demographic trends, the demographic situation in our country is evolving alarmingly, causing very serious challenges.
Over the past twenty years, the average fertility rate per woman has fallen, the average maternal age at the birth of the first child has increased and average life expectancy has increased. At the same time, the proportion of workers and pensioners of the indigenous population diversified negatively.
As a Government, we prioritize the demographic recovery of our country as a top national priority and in this direction we have adopted an integrated policy framework with specific demographic targets.
At the same time, the implementation of an integrated demographic policy aims to support parents, empower young people for early integration into the labour market and empower older people to remain active in the labour market.
The Policy Framework for Demographic Recovery consists of three packages of measures with an economic cost exceeding €100,000,000.
We have already started implementing the first package of measures in the first months of our government at an economic cost approaching €50,000,000.
Specific measures are already being implemented with beneficial measurable results for thousands of families, such as:
- We have increased the length of maternity leave for the first child, from 18 to 22 weeks,
- We have extended the number of recipients of parental leave allowance to include self-employed persons;
- We approved the housing subsidy scheme for young couples and young people up to 41 years old,
- We approved the subsidy scheme for infertile couples resorting to IVF,
- We increased the honorary allowance of the mother with many children,
- We have increased the Child Benefit,
- We extended the coverage of child benefit to include students belonging to large families with 50% of the Child Allowance benefit,
- We extended the beneficiaries of the Tuition and Child Food Subsidy Scheme so that all beneficiaries of the Child Allowance receive it and we extended the age limit of eligible children from 4 to 4.5 years,
- We have expanded compulsory early childhood education and strengthened the possibilities for providing childcare services for working parents.
Today, with the aim of further tackling negative demographic trends and reconciling family and professional life, I am announcing the second package of measures, amounting to more than €50,000,000. Specifically:
- We increase the Childbirth Grant from 628 euros, to 1000 euros for the first child, to 1500 euros for the second child and to 2000 euros for the third child.
- We extend the beneficiaries of the Parental Leave Allowance, by extending the age limit of the child from 8 years to 15 years,
- We extend the duration of the Parental Leave Allowance for the second child from 8 weeks to 10 weeks and for the third child from 8 weeks to 12 weeks,
- We provide monthly financial support of €200 to mothers who have their first child before the age of 30, for a period of 24 months after childbirth,
- We extend the pilot hours of the afternoon opening hours of Nurseries and Kindergartens until 19:30, for better response to the needs of working parents,
- We support businesses by subsidizing the cost of creating Crèches, Nurseries and Centers for the Protection and Employment of Children for the needs of working parents, for businesses and business partnerships with more than 100 employees,
- We are expanding the number of large families receiving child benefit by eliminating income and property criteria for families with five or more dependent children.
At the same time, in an effort to improve the ratio of workers and pensioners, we grant incentives for the participation in the labour market of unemployed young people, unemployed and inactive women, unemployed people over 50 years old, as well as for the participation of pupils and students in the labour market.
For more effective implementation of demographic policy, we are also upgrading the framework for its formulation and implementation, utilizing the European Commission's Demography Toolbox, taking into account good practices applied in the Member States of the European Union, and promoting the reorganization of the National Agency for Demographic and Family Policy.
The third package of measures will also be linked to major reforms of the tax and pension systems, as well as the completion of the extension of the institution of all-day school to all primary schools.
Compatriots,
Only through a consistent implementation of an integrated demographic policy are prospects created for reversing negative demographic trends: for the formation of an increasing trend in the fertility rate and for the expansion of the participation of the population in the labour market.
The demographic recovery of the country is for us a top national priority and I am confident that through the cooperation of the executive and legislative powers, the political forces, the social partners, and above all the Cypriot people, we will achieve this ambitious national goal.
Thank you.
