Parliamentary committee discusses disability bill before dissolution

The Parliamentary Labour Committee in Cyprus is evaluating whether to advance a disability bill before the House of Representatives dissolves for upcoming elections. The committee chair, Andreas Kafkalias, emphasized that while there is a desire to conclude the process by the April 2 deadline, the volume of suggested amendments makes this timeline challenging. Stakeholders and disability rights organizations expressed mixed views on the bill's provisions, with persistent internal disagreements remaining. A key point of contention is the increase of disability benefits, with the Cyprus Confederation of Organizations of the Disabled proposing a 10% increase. The proposal also suggests the Council of Ministers decide on benefit increases within one month of the law's enactment, rather than three. To address these outstanding issues, the committee has scheduled an emergency session this Friday. The Deputy Minister of Social Welfare has been invited to provide clarification and state the government's stance on requested social benefit adjustments.