The complaints of the Secretary General of the Union of Cypriot Pensioners (EKYSY), Costa Skarpari, about the living conditions of low-income pensioners in Cyprus are causing a sensation.
Asked by the presenter of the show Protoselido, Andrea Dimitropoulos, whether those who make the decisions for the cuts in the pensions of the low-income pensioners are ashamed, Mr. Skarparis answered that "the state should treat the pensioners with respect. These are the people who have built what they have built in the Cypriot society, but in recent years, due to the crisis and the decisions that are taken, while some steps are being taken, at the same time there is a behavior of the State towards retirees that raises questions.
Retirees had to get an increase based on requirements and needs, there is a big wave of increases and heating costs are high. Every day we are picked up by some retirees that we do not listen to well and I ask them where they are and they answer "I am in bed my son, if I get up I will have costs for heating and the money I get is not enough".
He went on to explain that on Monday, when they realized that the small check had been reduced, the EKYSY phones were broken. He complained that the authorities did not answer the phones, while the offices were closed.
Regarding the view expressed by some that this is a small reduction of 20 euros, Mr. Skarparis replied that "they do not seem to understand the poverty of the people. A pensioner told me 'they cut me 14 euros but that 14 euros is very valuable to me'. They do not receive much money, so they ignore the 14 euros ".