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1 De-commitments Still it was not possible for the negotiations to get started. Turkey as the occupying force, even though has the main responsibility for the deadlock, becomes more provocative and aggressive. Despite all these, the stance of the international com- munity remains either indifferent towards Turkey, or negative towards our side. They agreed on a far worse Memorandum. All of these are included in the Memorandum which they signed and now call their “political manifesto”. Unemployment is above 16%. Salaries and pensions were reduced. They promote divestments of housing and small business premises. They promote privatizations of the public organizations. There is an unforeseen and inexcusable delay and inactivity. They signed their abolition. They nullified them during the Eurogroup of 25th of March 2013. The only interests that they serve so far are those of bank and big enterprises. Their commitment turned into a protection net for the big-debtors and a constant hunting of small-debtors that are dragged to courts. The farmers are still waiting. Not only they didn’t proceed with its implementation, but the government is trying to submit the System to the interests of the private sector, turning it to a multi-insurance system. The debtors are still waiting. It was not implemented but they proposed an alternative with huge weaknesses. Was not implemented. he Anastasiades- Democratic Rally (right wing) government already counts two years of administration in a very critical period for Cyprus. It is for this reason that we also consider our duty to recall what did and what did not happen. These are some elements out of a long list: T Governmental Commitments Stated that they had the ability and the relations in the international commu- nity that would allow them to present alternative proposals that would have pushed forward a meaningful negotiation and corner Turkey in regard with the Cyprus Problem. They promised bridging loans that would have allowed them to positively negotiate with their European “friends” for improvement of the Memorandum. They called “Cause of War” the deposits haircut, privatizations, increase of the corporate tax. Substantial reduction of unemployment. Safeguarding salaries and pensions. Commitment on the protection of small-debtors and of housing (main residence). Promised to the workers of the semi-state Organizations (Corporations) that he would not proceed on selling the public wealth. They promised a national strategy for the exploitation of the natural gas with a deadline that should be followed to the letter. Promised that they would not accept the abolition of the marketable securities. They would not accept the cancellation of stocks. They were talking about a “Government by the people for the people” They committed to combat tax evasion. They promised motives, grants and state land for the restructuring of agriculture. Implementation of the General Health System. Proposal for paying off debts. Foundation of a wide guarantee mechanism. Promised not to increase taxation and to reduce the VTA for the first vocational premises to 5%.

EDON Bulletin - March 2015

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Bulletin of the Press Office of the Central Council of EDON Issue 6 - March 2015

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Page 1: EDON Bulletin - March 2015

1

De-commitmentsStill it was not possible for the negotiations to get started. Turkey as the occupying force, even though has the main responsibility for the deadlock, becomes more provocative and aggressive. Despite all these, the stance of the international com-munity remains either indifferent towards Turkey, or negative towards our side.

They agreed on a far worse Memorandum.

All of these are included in the Memorandum which they signed and now call their “political manifesto”.

Unemployment is above 16%.

Salaries and pensions were reduced.

They promote divestments of housing and small business premises.

They promote privatizations of the public organizations.

There is an unforeseen and inexcusable delay and inactivity.

They signed their abolition.

They nullified them during the Eurogroup of 25th of March 2013.

The only interests that they serve so far are those of bank and big enterprises.

Their commitment turned into a protection net for the big-debtors and a constant hunting of small-debtors that are dragged to courts.The farmers are still waiting.

Not only they didn’t proceed with its implementation, but the government is trying to submit the System to the interests of the private sector, turning it to a multi-insurance system.The debtors are still waiting.It was not implemented but they proposed an alternative with huge weaknesses.

Was not implemented.

he Anastasiades- Democratic Rally (right wing) government already counts two years of administration in a very critical period for Cyprus.

It is for this reason that we also consider our duty to recall what did and what did not happen. These are some elements out of a long list:

TGovernmental CommitmentsStated that they had the ability and the relations in the international commu-nity that would allow them to present alternative proposals that would have pushed forward a meaningful negotiation and corner Turkey in regard with the Cyprus Problem.

They promised bridging loans that would have allowed them to positively negotiate with their European “friends” for improvementof the Memorandum.

They called “Cause of War” the deposits haircut, privatizations, increase of the corporate tax.

Substantial reduction of unemployment.

Safeguarding salaries and pensions.

Commitment on the protection of small-debtors and of housing(main residence).

Promised to the workers of the semi-state Organizations (Corporations) that he would not proceed on selling the public wealth.

They promised a national strategy for the exploitation of the natural gas with a deadline that should be followed to the letter.

Promised that they would not accept the abolition of the marketablesecurities.

They would not accept the cancellation of stocks.

They were talking about a “Government by the people for the people”

They committed to combat tax evasion.

They promised motives, grants and state land for the restructuringof agriculture.

Implementation of the General Health System.

Proposal for paying off debts.

Foundation of a wide guarantee mechanism.

Promised not to increase taxation and to reduce the VTA for the firstvocational premises to 5%.

Page 2: EDON Bulletin - March 2015

he economic crisis continues striking the youth in the capitalist barbarity that we are living in. The intensifi-cation of unemployment is another problem that exists all around the world as a result of the international economic crisis.

According to the data of the Statistics Service (CYSTAT) the registered unemployed in Cyprus as of 4/3/2015 reached 50240 (Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, EU citizens and foreign nationals). According to the same data, most of the unemployed are on the first trimes-ter (15 days to 3 months) numbering 13993, followed by the more than twelve months of unemployment that number 12024. On the age groups first comes the unemployed of the age group of 30-39 that numbers 12028 persons and second the ages of 50 - 59 that number 11804. The age group of 40-49 follows 9747, and ages 25-29 number 7723.

Despite all that, the government and their party Dem-ocratic Rally are celebrating that they are reducing unemployment, but they don’t mention the fact that many unemployed are no longer attending the unem-ployment lines. They also do not mention that in the statistic charts there is no mention of the thousands that choose to migrate because of the shortcoming in jobs in Cyprus.

As EDON, we aim that the confrontation with unem-ployment should be based on respect to the funda-mental labour rights and the upgrading of profession-al orientation. Moreover, we are fighting beside the class trade union movement to reduce working hours, implementation of 35-hour and stop the raise of the retirement age.

Beside the numbers of unemployment that absorb great part of the public dialogue, as a Youth Organiza-tion we stand by the side of the young unemployed and we support them, fighting with them for the ab-olition of unemployment, impoverishment and misery that follows the big periods without jobs.

T

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Page 3: EDON Bulletin - March 2015

T he institution of the Post-secondary education Institutes of Vocational Studies and Training (PIVST) that was in-troduced to education since 2012 during the govern-ment of D. Christofias, covers some important needs of the economy, offering post-secondary education of high standarts.

After a recent decision of the Cabinet of Ministers, the transformation of PIVST to a Public Faculty of Higher Education with Technical and Voca-tional orientation is routed, a fact that consists a positive development as students will not only have vocational recognition but also academic. Especially in the conditions of crisis the PIVST are becoming even more important.

Nevertheless, after some visits that EDON together with AKEL contact-ed, we detected problems that need of immediate resolving, as it is the lack of necessary consumable materials. It is an immediate necessity to find a way of use of funds from the European Social Fund, which co-funds the PIVST. The management of the Fund changed by the previous Minister of Education a fact the led to the creation of problems. The delays already deprived 500 000 Euros in funds necessary in purchasing special equipment. The students also highlighted the fact that they work under op-

pressive conditions, especially in the hotel industry and they demanded the recognition of their vocational skills. The above position finds our complete support and together with AKEL we are pushing forward this demand.

As EDON we constantly put forwrad our concerns about the need for further upgrading of the PIVSTs so that there will be reinforcment of a comprehensive education, against the logic of pure skills training that provides just the basic knowledge and skills and just prepares the workers to be exploited by their em-ployees.

The government should support the institution of PIVSTs provid-ing the necessaries so that they can operate without obstacles. And of course, the students should be supported by their in-

clusion to the beneficiaries to the students grant. EDON and AKEL are undertaking initiatives towards this direction.

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We demand furtherupgrading of the PIVSTs so

that there will be reinforcment of acomprehensive education, against the logic of pure skill-training thatprovides just thebasic knowledgeand skills.

Page 4: EDON Bulletin - March 2015

A fter the revela-tion made by the President

of Venezuela N. Mad-uro, that the US are behind the plans for the overthrown of his government, the USA proceed-ed to a new provocative attack, that was made by their Presi-dent. Barack Obama, who with his statement, declared with an executive order, Venezuela as “a threat to the national Secu-rity”, in which he declared sanctions against seven persons.

The imperialist attacks against the people of Venezuela are intensifying in the last period, aiming to intercept the route of the progressive forces in all Latin America. The victory of the progressive forces and the results of the Bolivarian Process had a great impact all over the world, since they brought rad-ical changes not only to Venezuela but to Latin America as a whole. The Bolivarian Process of Venezuela, supported Cuba and contributed importantly to the foundation of regional or-ganizations in Latin America, aiming for real independence, creating political organizations of financial integration as it is the Bank of the North and also supported CELAC, ALBA, Petrosur, Petrocaribe, UNASUR, MERCOSUR και Telesur.

As EDON we condemn the provocative stance of USA against the people of Ven-

ezuela, ex-pressing at the same time our solidarity to the people of Venezuela that fight to-gether with

Maduros government for national sovereignty, deliverance from imperialism, social prosperity and also for the promo-tion of radical reforms in the country. As EDON we actively support the people of Venezuela, as we did recently with our participation to the International Mission of Solidarity with the people Venezuela organized by WFDY on 20-28 of February 2015, in Caracas, under the slogan “The youth of the World stands in solidarity with Venezuela against the imperi-alist interventions”.