The amendments promoted by the Ministry of Health for the recruitment of nurses from third countries, with the aim of filling the huge gaps caused in the health system by the lack of nursing staff, are up in the air.
The proposed regulations aim to facilitate the registration and employment of nurses from countries outside the European Union, with a maximum quota of 10% per hospital and an initial two-year license to practice. There are also requirements for knowledge of the Greek language, which are one of the main points of disagreement.
Today's debate in the parliamentary Committee on Health highlighted serious reactions, making it uncertain to secure the required majority in the Plenary.
AKEL clarified that it will not vote in favour of the regulations, while DISY and DIKO MPs raised urgent issues of wages, collective agreements, Greek language proficiency and patient safety.
DISY: "If you want Cypriot nurses, pay them"
Particularly sharp was the intervention of the president of the Committee, Savia Orfanidou, who brought back the issue of the approximately 1,400 nurses referred to as out of the profession.
He wondered why this number did not alarm the Ministry of Health over time and what actions were taken for their return.
He also raised the issue of collective agreements, noting that, although they cannot be mandatory, they contribute to good relations between employers and employees. He also expressed concern about how the different positions can be reconciled.
DISY MP Giorgos Pamporidis spoke in high tones, questioning the approach that the solution lies mainly in hiring staff from abroad.
"If you don't pay the money to come back, you won't have the staff you want," he told employers, also reacting to demands to increase the quota to 30% or even 50%.
DISY MP Charalambos Pazaros asked for an update on the actions of the Minister of Health regarding the return of nurses to the profession.
AKEL: "From us it is no"
The position of AKEL MP Marina Nikolaou was clear, linking her party's negative attitude to the absence of guarantees for earnings.
"If you refuse to implement collective agreements to secure wages, then we are no," he said to the employers.
She also raised the issue of learning Greek, wondering why different requirements apply to doctors and nurses.
DIKO: Guarantees for language and labour rights
Serious reservations were expressed by DIKO MP Andreas Apostolou, asking for clarifications on the certification of the Greek language and the protection of employees.
He pointed out that, although the conclusion of collective agreements cannot be legally enforced, it must be ensured that the 10% quota is not used for labour exploitation.
Employers: 10% is not enough
OEB argued that shortages prevent private hospitals from operating at full capacity, citing research according to which the weighted average salary of nurses in the private sector is close to €3,000 per month.
The president of the Pancyprian Association of Private Hospitals, Marios Karaiskakis, estimated that the 10% quota will allow practically 100 to 150 recruitments, compared to 300 to 350 with a 30% quota.
In response, the representative of the Ministry of Health, Karolina Stylianou, referred to benefits, campaigns and contacts with universities, defending the proposed changes.
Despite the explanations, parliamentary consensus remains a challenge, with disagreements over wages, collective agreements and the attainment of Greek threatening the course of the amendments.
