Agricultural organizations received their first briefing on the pension reform today during a meeting with Minister of Labor and Social Insurance Marinos Mousiouttas.
The Minister briefed the representatives of the agricultural sector on the philosophy and key provisions of the reform, while the organizations raised questions and concerns regarding, among other things, the specific working conditions of farmers and the amount of pensions for low-income retirees.
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In remarks following the meeting, Mr. Mousiouttas noted that the Ministry had an obligation to brief the agricultural organizations on the pension reform and expressed his intention to hold frequent meetings to provide updates, discuss, and the specific issues it encompasses.
When asked about the possibility of increasing contributions and the retirement age, the Minister made it clear that “under no circumstances” has the issue of changing the retirement age been raised.
Regarding contributions, Mr. Mousiouttas stated that the isolated claim that “contributions will increase” is misleading.
He explained that the bill includes a contingent provision under which, if conditions change in the future and it is deemed necessary to maintain the sustainability of the Social Insurance Fund, an increase in contributions could be discussed.
As he noted, this is linked to the decision to rule out pension cuts. He added that a potential increase in contributions would not reverse the increases that have already been implemented, nor would it jeopardize the younger generation.
The Minister said that today’s meeting presented the philosophy behind the reform and its successes, which, as he noted, “in many ways also affect the agricultural sector.” At the same time, the Ministry listened to the suggestions and concerns of agricultural organizations, which, he assured, it will take “very seriously” in the final planning.
The Minister noted that the consultation is not limited to agricultural organizations but is also continuing with other entities that have expressed interest, as well as within the framework of the institutional dialogue with social partners, labor unions, and employers.
Once the consultations are completed, he added, the reform plan will be finalized, and it is expected to be submitted first to the Council of Ministers and then to the House of Representatives for discussion and final review.
Mr. Mousiouttas expressed optimism that there will be a convergence of views in the House so that the reform can move forward and be implemented, in accordance with the government’s plan, effective January 1, 2027.
The Secretary-General of the Union of Cypriot Farmers (EKA), Panikos Hambas, stated that agricultural organizations will review the Ministry’s proposals and submit their recommendations in writing in the coming days.
He noted that there is a consensus that farmers require special provisions due to their unique working conditions, which will be formally submitted to the Ministry.
At the same time, he addressed the issue of female farmers, emphasizing that this matter, too, should be subject to consultation before the relevant regulations are finalized.
The Secretary-General of the Pan-Agricultural Union of Cyprus (PEK), Michalis Lytras, said that this was their first meeting on pension reform, following a request from farmers’ organizations to the Minister of Labor.
As he noted, the agricultural movement does not participate in the meetings held within the framework of the Labor Advisory Council, despite the fact that it represents a significant portion of the Cypriot people, a large portion of whom are low-income retirees.
Mr. Lytras also highlighted the particular difficulties faced by the agricultural sector, due, among other things, to weather conditions and the effects of climate change.
He noted that during the meeting, questions were posed to the Minister and the actuary who participated in the discussion, and it was agreed to continue the dialogue, so that answers could be provided and the agricultural organizations could then formulate their positions.
“We must keep the Social Insurance Fund as healthy as possible,” he said, describing it as an institution that the Cypriot people achieved through great effort.
At the same time, he made it a key demand that pensions for low-income retired farmers be increased so that, as he put it, they could escape the “girdle of starvation pensions.”
The President of the Pan-Agricultural Association of Cyprus, Tasos Giapanis, thanked the Minister for his prompt response to the agricultural organizations’ request for a meeting.
He noted that an initial explanation was provided regarding the Ministry’s intention to amend the pension system, while the farmers’ organizations asked questions and expressed concerns; he noted that they would return with specific recommendations.
Mr. Giapanis assured that the Panagrotikos organization would stand “by the side” of the Minister, emphasizing that the pension reform “is not just for us, but also for future generations.”
As he stated, agricultural organizations will support the government in its efforts to advance the reform.
