Nicosia, Cyprus. President Nikos Christodoulides outlined what he described as his government’s achievements benefiting workers in an address marking May Day on Friday.
May Day message and policy framework
Christodoulides said May Day is a day of honour and recognition of workers’ struggle for decent conditions and security at work. He said economic progress and development should translate into security, prospects and social wellbeing for all, and linked the government’s approach to social liberalism.
Minimum wage increase
Christodoulides said the minimum wage rose to €1,088 per month from €940 per month when he was elected in 2023, which he said amounted to a 13.6 per cent increase.
Tax reforms and disposable income
He said tax reforms implemented at the beginning of the year increased the disposable income of around 200,000 workers. He added that workers experienced the change in their salaries from the first month of implementation and that the tax-free income threshold rose from €19,500 to €22,000 per year.
Cost-of-living allowance agreement
Christodoulides referred to an agreement reached in December on the payment of the cost-of-living allowance (CoLA). He said indexing rose from 50 per cent to 66.7 per cent, with forecast rises to an eventual 100 per cent in the coming months.
Earnings data and pension reforms
He said that, according to recent data from the statistical service, median gross monthly earnings increased in 2024 and 2025 by five per cent and 4.6 per cent respectively. He added that work was continuing on reforms to the pension system, aimed at ensuring long-term sustainability, strengthening pension adequacy—especially for low-income pensioners—and ensuring fairness between generations.
EU social security coordination
Christodoulides said that during Cyprus’ term as holder of the Council of the European Union’s rotating presidency, an agreement was reached to revise the coordination of national social security systems between EU member states.
Which of the measures highlighted in the May Day address do you expect to affect workers most directly?
