Parliamentary committee discusses reform of disability benefits legislation

The Parliamentary Labor Committee has begun an article-by-article discussion on reforming legislation concerning disability benefits. The Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Clea Papaellina, attended the session to oversee the legislative process. The proposed reform aims to include over 10,000 new beneficiaries who were previously excluded due to strict income criteria and links to the Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI). Currently, many individuals are disqualified based on spousal income or part-time employment status, a practice the reform seeks to address. Andreas Kafkalias, the committee chairman and AKEL MP, stated that the goal is to finalize the bill for plenary approval before the parliamentary term ends. The committee has scheduled a follow-up session for next Tuesday to complete the review. The final plenary session is currently scheduled for April 2, with a potential extension to April 6.