The Cyprus government in agreement with the Parliament decided on Monday to grant a subsidy of £11 million for heating to all households that belong to one of the three categories set on Friday. The total number of beneficiaries is expected to exceed 50,000, while the three aforementioned categories are: 1) Pensioners’ families (24,000) with a pension lower than £500 or families whose total pension (for 2 persons) does not exceed £1,000. Families with one pensioner receiving lower than £500, in which other family members are working normally are excluded, b) Families that receive other subsidy by the state (16,000 families), c) Residents of mountainous regions (13,000).

The members of the House Finance Committee rejected the alternative proposal to subsidize all Cyprus households, since the total number would reach 240,000.

Government not to increase petrol price, says DISY
Speaking on behalf of the Democratic Rally Party DISY, Chairman of the House Commerce Committee, Lefteris Christoforou has requested the government’s commitment to proceed to a price increase in fuel in February 2004 and not by the end of 2003.

Mr. Lillikas stressed that the increase in fuel price will not be imposed on October 1, 2003 for harmonization reasons but avoided to proceed to further details.

The mistakes of former government…

Mr. Lillikas emphasized that from the £9 million granted for heating subsidy last year, only 20% was granted to households, while 80% was used by the petrol car holders. “Our policy is to subsidize those who really need a subsidy”, he concluded.