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Lawmakers are calling for swift reform of the decades-old disability pension system, with the government confirming that a new bill is already in the works to address long-standing inequities.
Labour Minister Yiannis Panayiotou told the House Labour Committee on Tuesday that his ministry has begun preparing legislation to update the Social Insurance Law’s provisions on disability pensions. He described the committee discussion as “constructive,” emphasizing the government’s intention to modernize the framework and correct current injustices.
Committee Chair Andreas Kavkalias of AKEL said Parliament has debated the issue for years, stressing the urgency of eliminating inequalities in how disability pensions are approved and eligibility is determined. He urged the government to submit the draft bill before the end of the year, noting that “political will is important, but even more important is to have before us the bill that will actually solve the problem.”
DISY MP Charalambos Pazaros, who has already submitted his own proposal, highlighted the financial hardships faced by families of people with disabilities. He suggested establishing a list of severe illnesses to speed up the approval of applications, noting that many spouses are forced to quit work to provide care, often leaving families without income.
The discussion marked a renewed push to correct what lawmakers described as systemic injustices in Cyprus’s disability pension system.
