The problems that concern the victims and in particular the distribution of the increase by € 1,5 million, to € 3 million, of the fund, which concerns the allowance given to missing persons and victims of 1974, were discussed today by the Parliamentary Committee on Refugees.
During the session it was decided to inform the Parliament from the competent Ministries in three weeks on how the total amount of 3 million euros will be allocated, while the Pancyprian Organization for the Rehabilitation of War Victims and Disabled stated that it does not ask for money from the Government, but to be paid the medicines of the members of the organization.
The increase of the fund was one of the conditions set by DIKO for the vote of the State Budget for 2022.
The issue was discussed after a presentation by MPs Nikos Kettiros, Christos Christofidis, Christos Christofias, Nikos Georgiou, George Karoullas, Ritas Theodoros Superman, Onoufrios Koullas, Christos Senekis, Zacharia Koulias and Michalis Giakoumis.
The manner of payment of the special monthly benefit by the Victims Relief Committee and its connection with the Social Security pension, enjoyed by each beneficiary, was also discussed. The issue was discussed after a suggestion by MPs Nikos Kettiros, Christos Christofidis and Christos Christofias.
In statements after the meeting, the Chairman of the Committee Nikos Kettiros said that "based on a political decision and pressure exerted by the Refugee Committee, it has been decided by the Minister of Finance to add an amount of € 1,5 million to cover some needs".
He stated that "the tragedy of the case is that while there is a political decision, while the budget was approved by the Council of Ministers, no one knew how to tell us how and to whom the € 1,5 million will be allocated."
Mr. Kettiros wondered whether the fund will be used to increase the sponsorship of the victims or to increase the honorary allowance or to cover the medical care that is not in the GESS.
He stated that the Commission had unanimously suggested to the Ministry of Labor that it take the initiative and inform the Commission within three weeks how it would allocate the € 1,5 million, adding that because they are at an age where they need medical care ".
"It is also a matter of dignity, which diminishes every time we force them to come to the Commission to claim the obvious," he added.
Moreover, Mr. Kettiros expressed concern about the current earthquake because, as he explained, "in the refugee settlements there are structures, which have been built with materials that are not suitable for many years."
He added that "there are 43 apartment buildings across Cyprus, which have been deemed dangerous" and the report on the subject "remains secret in urban planning".
Mr. Kettiros called on the town planning and the competent state authorities to go to the apartment buildings during the day "to see if there is a security issue for the residents of these apartment buildings or the houses located in the refugee settlements that had been damaged in previous years." .
"Dangerous apartment buildings before the 6-magnitude earthquake are very different after the 6-magnitude earthquake," he added.
DISY MP Rita Superman said that "there is a full understanding on the part of the Refugee Committee for the problems faced by this group of our fellow human beings whose demands have not been resolved for 47 years and have not been given the proper importance by the respective governments." .
Ms. Superman welcomed the Government's decision to increase the amount given to this group, from € 1,5 million to € 3,0 million, adding that this was a joint request of the Refugee Committee.
He stated that the Parliament will be informed by the competent Ministries in three weeks on how this money will be allocated.
Regarding the medical treatment of the victims, Ms. Superman said that it is not covered by the GESS and added that "the common belief of the Commission is to support the fair demands of the victims who seek nothing more than their dignity".
He also said that the possibility of the Parliament's Health Committee being involved in this issue is being studied.
DIKO MP Christos Senekis said that there is a specific request from the prisoners for the granting of a "Honorary Allowance" of 200 euros and from the Patients to cover their medical care outside GESS.
"Unfortunately, the competent Ministries were not able to tell us how the specific provision for the increase of the fund will be implemented", he stated and added that "a deadline of one month was given for the beneficiaries to conclude and grant the planned increase to the State Budget" .
ELAM MP Sotiris Ioannou said that "we have the commitment of the Government to increase the amount given, around 1,5 million euros."
He said that from what they had heard inside the Commission, "it is neither clear nor clear where this 1,5 million their medical care for which each one wastes hundreds to thousands of euros a month ".
"ELAM's position is that this group of the population should be supported immediately, which when necessary stood on the front line and sacrificed their diligence to defend the freedom and territorial integrity of the Republic of Cyprus," he concluded.
In a statement, the President of the Pancyprian Organization for the Rehabilitation of War Victims and Disabled George Groutidis said that the members of the organization "are the people who stood forward, unarmed, fasting to save our country", adding that what they receive from the Commission sessions for their request "to cover our medical care and to stop the contributions to the drugs that do not exist in GESS falls into the void".
He stated that "it was announced that for the sake of passing the state budget, the Minister of Finance gave 1,5 million euros for everyone without being clarified" and added that this "does not cover our request".
"We did not ask for money from the government, we ask for our medicines to be paid for," he said, adding that "we were told the cost was high to set up a department to process the receipts and make payments and ended up increasing the sponsorship, partially covering it." .
Mr Groutidis said the state had not fulfilled its legal obligation to cover our healthcare and added that the state was "in complete violation of the Geneva Convention, the EU charter of rights, which we selectively use".
Mr. Groutidis wondered whether war invalids should take to the streets to convince themselves that they need medical care and added that people need medicines from abroad and cannot bring them to Cyprus, while for medicines they give "licenses and licenses". transport, but not an import permit ".
Source: KYPE