The country's demographic recovery is a top national priority, President says

The country's demographic recovery is a top national priority, Cyprus President, Nikos Christodoulides, has said in a televised message on demographic policy, announcing a second package of measures, worth over €50 million.

The measures include increasing the childbirth allowance, including more beneficiaries for the Parental Leave Allowance, a 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, a pilot extension of the afternoon opening hours of nurseries and childcare centres until 7.30pm, and eliminating income and property criteria as regards the child allowance for large families.

In his televised message, President Christodoulides said that through responsible economic policy, “we are achieving our fiscal targets and shaping positive growth rates, among the highest in the European Union”. The successive upgrades from all rating agencies are a vote of confidence in our economic policy, he added.

He said that this positive trajectory aimed at improving the daily life of citizens “will continue, as will my effort for solidarity, unity and collectivity”.

Referring to the demographic issue, he noted that according to demographic trends, the situation in Cyprus was evolving “alarmingly, causing very serious challenges”.

During the past twenty years, the average fertility rate per woman has decreased, the average age of mothers at the birth of their first child has increased, and the average life expectancy has also increased, he noted. At the same time, he added, the ratio of workers and pensioners of the indigenous population “differentiated negatively”.

He added that the implementation of a comprehensive demographic policy aims to support parents, empower young people to enter the labour market early and help older people remain active in the labour market.

He noted that the Policy Framework for Demographic Recovery consists of three sets of measures with a financial cost exceeding €100 million.

“We have already started implementing the first set of measures during the first months of our governance with a financial cost reaching €50 million”, he said, noting that specific measures are already being implemented “with beneficial measurable results for thousands of families”.

He said he was announcing the second package of measures, amounting to over €50 million, with the aim of further addressing negative demographic trends and reconciling family and professional life.

The measures announced by President Christodoulides include increasing the Childbirth Allowance from €628 to €1,000 for the first child, to €1,500 for the second child and to €2,000 for the third child, including more beneficiaries for the Parental Leave Allowance, as well as a 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, and extending on a pilot basis the afternoon opening hours of nurseries and daycare centres until 7.30pm.

He also said that the state would subsidise the cost of businesses for creating nurseries, daycare centres and Child Protection and Employment Centres for the needs of working parents. This concerns businesses and business partnerships with more than 100 employees, he added.

The measures also include eliminating income and property criteria for families with five or more dependent children as regards the child allowance.

He also announced incentives for the participation in the labour market of unemployed young people, unemployed and inactive women, unemployed people over 50, as well as for the participation of pupils and students in the labour market.

“The demographic recovery of the country is for us a top national priority and I am certain that through the cooperation of the executive and legislative powers, the political powers, the social partners, and above all the Cypriot people, we will achieve this ambitious national goal”, he said.

(Source: CNA)