Fiscal nature support program to deal with the effects of the coronavirus
The "Support Program" includes the following:
STRENGTHENING THE NETWORK OF PROTECTION OF WORKERS AND VULNERABLE POPULATION GROUPS
1. Issuance of “Special Permit” to Parents working in the private sector, for the Care of Children up to 15 years old (up to the third grade of High School) due to the suspension of attendance in schools, public and private, in nurseries and kindergartens.
- For the "special permit", which can last up to 4 weeks at this stage, and which does not include holidays, an allowance will be granted as follows:
For a parent with a salary of up to € 2.500: for the first € 1.000 of the parent's salary a “special leave” allowance will be paid at 60% of the salary and for the next € 1.000 of his salary, a allowance at a rate of 40% will be paid. It is noted that in cases of single-parent families, the ratio for payment of the allowance differs to 70% and 50% respectively.
- The leave will be granted to one of the two parents and if one parent receives the said leave, the other can not take the corresponding leave at the same time. Also, if one parent works / receives unemployment benefit / participates in a Job Suspension Plan and the other does not, the working parent is not entitled to it, unless the non-working parent has contracted the virus himself or herself or is being treated or is disabled or is a person under mandatory restraint.
- The parental leave in question will be granted if the nature of their work does not allow them to telework or work from home or work part-time and if there is no in-house assistance. The leave will be granted in consultation with the employer, upon request.
- This permit applies to parents of persons with disabilities (regardless of age), provided that no care allowance is granted to such persons.
- The period of the special leave will be considered a period of simulated insurance.
- For the public sector, employees who are judged by their respective Ministers to come to work but need to stay in their home to care for their children should, in consultation with their Supervisor, make arrangements for replacement. their.
1 month € 20m, potential beneficiaries 50.000 persons
2. Suspension Plan (€ 110 million)
In all the companies that have been decided today to suspend their operations and in those companies that will continue their operation and will have a reduction in turnover of more than 25%, a Business Suspension Plan is implemented in order to avoid layoffs and at the same time affected employees. will receive unemployment benefit for as long as the company is suspended.
3. Small Business Support Plan, amounting to € 10m, for companies that employ up to 5 people, provided that they retain their employees at work and have suffered a reduction in turnover of more than 25%. The Plan provides for a subsidy of 70% of employees' salary. The conditions and the safeguards of the Plan will be announced with the announcement.
4. Remuneration plan for employees in the Afternoon Programs of the Ministry of Education (€ 3m)
Payment of an allowance, which will be equal to full earnings, to approximately 5000 persons employed in the Afternoon and Evening Programs of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth (Music Schools, Sports Schools, State Training Institutes, Training Centers, Optional Training Centers, Evening Programs of Technical Schools and the Program "School and Social Integration Actions") and other similar programs for the purchase of services of the Ministry of Education.
5. Payment of "sickness allowance" on average € 800 per month in:
- Employees who face particular health problems and fall under the List prepared by the Ministry of Health, who must be absent from work for the purpose of protecting their health and not worsening it. Prerequisite for the presentation of a certificate by their personal doctor.
- Cases of compulsory absence from work for persons instructed or instructed by the Authorities (Category 1 [mandatory restraint under medical supervision (quarantine)] and Category 2 [self-restraint under telephone surveillance]), provided that the restricted employees hold a certificate issued by the Ministry of Health.
- Persons over the age of 63 up to the age of 65, who do not receive a statutory pension and continue to work and who fall into Categories 1 and 2 of the Ministry of Health, provided that the restricted employees hold a certificate issued by the Ministry Health.
- For the purpose of supporting the self-employed, the sickness benefit will be paid as to the employees, from the fourth day.
For every 20.000 employees, 16m
6. Extension of the time period for submitting objections to social security for the self-employed for one month until 30 April 2020 (expires on 31 March 2020)
7. Establishment of mobile workshops to serve the elderly and vulnerable, so that the goods they need can be procured. Assistance will be sought from Voluntary Organizations and Businesses to achieve the goal.
Payment of benefits for these benefits will be made through simplified and concise procedures.
STRENGTHENING THE HEALTH SYSTEM
8. Provision for strengthening the health sector with € 100m to fight the pandemic in case of need, which will cover, among others:
- Employment of additional medical, nursing and support staff and for a more effective and immediate response to the task they are called upon to carry out.
- Reinforcement in equipment and logistics infrastructure
- Strengthening the Institute of Neurology & Genetics in both human resources and logistical infrastructure
- Reinforcement of the Ambulance Center
- Service reinforcement 1420
9. Non-payment of the additional contribution to GESY which is scheduled for 31/3/2020 for two months, by employers, employees and the state, to strengthen the health sector in the fight against the virus and not to affect the incomes of employees and companies. It is noted that the schedule for the implementation of the 2nd Phase of GESY is not affected. In case of increased needs for the implementation of the 2nd Phase of GESY will be covered by the state (€ 98m)
BUSINESS SUPPORT, STRENGTHENING LIQUIDITY AND STIMULATING INTERNAL CONSUMPTION
10. Temporary suspension for two months of the obligation to pay VAT to provide liquidity to businesses. It concerns companies whose turnover was not more than € 1m according to the tax returns submitted in 2019 and companies whose turnover decreased by more than 25%, without the imposition of any charges. It is noted that arrangements will be made so that the debts are paid gradually, until November 11, 2020. It concerns companies
This measure will increase the liquidity of companies during the period in which they are expected to face liquidity problems. (€ 240cm (liquidity))
11. Temporary reduction of VAT from 19% to 17% for a period of two months and from 9% to 7% for a period of three and a half months, immediately after the adoption of the relevant legislation to strengthen the purchasing power of citizens and stimulate consumption. (€ 70cm)
12. As long as the emergency lasts they will be done special facility arrangements for those who have joined the Overdue Debt Plan.
13. Student residence allowance abroad: A height allowance is provided €750 to cover the expenses of students studying at universities abroad who will not return to Cyprus during the Easter holidays (15m.)
14. Extension for two months of the obligation to submit tax returns for those who were obliged to do so until 31.3.2020. (new deadline 31.5.2020).
15. Suspension of the guarantee retention requirement under public and private sector contracts for the supply of services or products that will be delayed due to the crisis. The measure has already been wheeled.
16. Support for the recovery of Tourism. Additional appropriations of € 11m for the implementation of actions to support the tourist flow to Cyprus, between June and September 2020, in cooperation with Airlines and Travel Organizers, as well as actions to enhance the attraction of tourists during the period October 2020 - March 2021.
17. Banking sector: The ECB has already considered measures to support bank lending. Under the new measures, Cypriot financial institutions will be able to draw liquidity from the Eurosystem on significantly favorable terms. The measures decided by the ECB concern, among other things, the release of capital reserves, which for the Cypriot systemic banks are estimated by the CBC in excess of € 1,3 billion. In addition, the Central Bank of Cyprus is considering further local measures which will be announced by the Governor of the Central Bank in the near future.
OTHER CITIZEN PROTECTION MEASURES
18. Introduction of Ceiling in the prices of personal hygiene products (masks, antiseptics, antibacterial liquids, soaps, etc.) to deal with profiteering phenomena.
19. Necessary Personnel in the Public Service:
The public service and the wider public sector and the employees in the educational service for the next month, from Tuesday 17/03/2020, will work:
i. where possible from their home
ii. with security personnel for urgent matters and emergency service
Essential services are excluded from the above regulation. The competent Ministers will determine the needs of their Ministry and their Departments for proper planning of the works.
Regarding the Education Service, the Minister of Education and Culture has been authorized to prepare a program for educational needs for the duration of the non-operation of public schools in order to address part of the educational program through the use of technology.
Notwithstanding the above and with a view to the timely and effective implementation of the measures announced, public servants, the wider public sector and the education service will be obliged if they are not in a mandated service or at home, provided that be called upon to provide their services in other areas if deemed necessary.
Famagusta.News