Nicosia, Cyprus. The parliamentary institutions committee examined government plans on Wednesday to abolish the social support agency and transfer its responsibilities to the finance ministry. MPs sought assurances that beneficiaries would continue receiving support without interruption.
Transition arrangements and pending applications
Deputy minister to the presidency Irene Piki told the committee that transitional arrangements include a clearing team to process all applications submitted this year. Accountant-general Andreas Antoniades said the grants and benefits service has the administrative capacity to absorb the agency’s functions, adding that 1,800 applications remain pending and must be processed promptly.
Donations and student support account
Piki confirmed the establishment of a special account at the central bank to receive donations from individuals and organisations to support students. Antoniades said donations could continue through the grants service, but private contributions are expected to fall by as much as 70 per cent following the agency’s closure.
Funding concerns and beneficiary criteria
Akel MP Georgios Loukaides welcomed the abolition but said state funding must replace private donations to guarantee support. He said students should not have to depend on company goodwill and called for around €3 million to secure continuity.
Diko MPs Zacharias Koulias and Pavlos Mylonas highlighted the need for clear criteria for beneficiaries and proposed that grants be offered regardless of the amount required while preventing misuse of public funds.
Debate on transparency rules
The committee also debated transparency rules for donations.
What assurances do you want lawmakers to provide that support will continue without interruption during the transition?
