CYPRUS: OEV, KEVE object to new government hiring

The Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEV) and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KEVE) have raised objections to the government’s intention to open up 740 positions in the public service as they fear that the state apparatus and its running cost will be inflated.

Michalis Antoniou, the head of the OEV, was quoted by StockWatch as saying that as the bill regarding the reform of the public service is still pending, the government should focus on resolving the pressing needs with the purchase of services and not with permanent recruitment, which will broaden the state payroll by a further EUR 25 mln per year.

Antoniou explained that the reform bill coupled with the introduction of modern technology will reduce the need for new recruits. He also added that “the purchase of services costs less and furthermore it offers specialisation and quicker results without the need of a transitional period of adjustment required as in the case of the new recruits”.

Echoing the same arguments, the general secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, Marios Tsiakkis said that “we should not allow the state payroll to reach levels which the economy will not be able to handle”.

Tsiakkis stressed that the government should work towards solving issues troubling the public service by pushing for the implementation of the public service reform bill.

Out of the 740 vacancies, 140 of the positions declared are to be fulfilled at the administration and personnel department of the Finance Ministry, while 56 vacancies are assigned to the fire department.

Another 36 vacancies at the Ministry of Interior, 29 people are to be hired by the Ministry of Agriculture, 22 by the Labour Ministry, 12 by the Ministry of Defense and 10 more people by the Ministry of Energy.