Cyprus’s AKEL party is calling on the government to take immediate measures against rising living costs, accusing it of standing idle while price increases burden households.
In a written statement, AKEL lawmaker and Political Bureau member Giorgos Koukoumas said the state collected an additional €200 million in 2026 from VAT and consumption taxes, without returning meaningful support to the public.
“Upgrades, however good they may be, can’t be eaten and won’t fill up your car,” he said.
While fuel prices remain high, AKEL is proposing a transport allowance for low- and middle-income households with children, a targeted one-off heating subsidy ahead of winter, and a 50% cut in vehicle circulation fees for 2027 for the poorest households.
The party is also demanding an end to double taxation on fuel, greater oversight and transparency over fuel pricing, a permanent 5% VAT rate on electricity, and an expansion of subsidized social tariffs. As possible funding sources for these measures, it points to additional state revenue generated by inflation and taxation of excess profits.
AKEL has called for a demonstration outside the Ministry of Finance on Monday, September 28, at 18:00, with demands that also include fair wages, adequate pensions and affordable housing.
