Government prepares bill to reform or abolish the Social Support Agency

The Cypriot government is drafting an amending bill regarding the Independent Social Support Agency following ongoing concerns over donation transparency. During a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Institutions, a Ministry of Finance representative indicated that the government is considering abolishing the Agency and transferring its duties to the ministry's Grants and Benefits Service. Currently, two separate legislative proposals are also under discussion in Parliament. AKEL proposes the total abolition of the Agency and the transfer of its functions to the Cyprus State Scholarship Foundation. Conversely, DISY MP Nikos Georgiou suggested maintaining the Agency while implementing strict accountability measures, including a 50,000 euro cap on individual private donations. The Agency’s Treasurer, Andreas Antoniades, expressed opposition to its abolition but supported a transfer to the Ministry of Finance. Since March 2023, the fund has received 6.4 million euros in private donations, though donor identities remain undisclosed due to privacy rulings by legal authorities.