Dorita Yiannakou
This is what you’d call real beef. It didn’t just erupt out of nowhere. It’s the result of many incidents piling up until the glass finally overflowed. The last straw was the business missions organized at regular intervals, aimed at attracting the investments the Government has such high hopes for.
And don’t assume these missions are attended only by President Christodoulides and his inner circle. They draw a full crowd.
We’re talking Ministers, Deputy Ministers, the Chief Scientist, Invest Cyprus, KEBE, business leaders, consultants, bank executives, and directors from the Big Four. So who’s missing? OEB. And it’s not because the Federation was invited and chose not to go, or even because it declined a partial invitation. At OEB’s general assembly, it became clear that it has been deliberately excluded from all international missions focused on promoting outward-looking business activity.
That point matters. While OEB’s president openly expressed frustration over the Federation’s exclusion and clearly aimed his message at President Christodoulides, the criticism landed elsewhere too. Some of it reached people sitting closer, some further back. In particular, it touched senior figures within KEBE. The rivalry between these two business and employer organizations goes back years. They generally align on most issues related to business and labor, but they remain divided over questions of size and independence.
It is worth recalling a recent social media post by OEB’s Director General, who described OEB as “the largest and truly independent employers’ organization in the country.” That statement exposed how fragile relations between OEB and KEBE really are. The Chamber interpreted it as a pointed remark. Now, in the context of these international business missions aimed at strengthening the outward reach of Cyprus’s economy, some are suggesting that KEBE may have played a role in OEB’s exclusion.
You only have to look at what the Federation’s president said from the assembly podium to understand where his criticism was directed and what message he wanted to send. As he stated, “Some invoke older practices or even agreements which, although we have asked to review them, no one has shown us to this day, simply because OEB has never signed any agreement that would make it a second-tier business organization.” He added, “Some also refer to legislation from the first decade of the Republic’s existence in order to keep OEB excluded from international government actions that promote the interests of Cypriot businesses.”
What both sides should keep in mind is that employer and business organizations have a responsibility to act with unity and cohesion, especially when facing major issues that affect the economy as a whole. The pension system is one clear example. This is not about appearances. It has to be real. In periods of challenge, whether it is boosting competitiveness, attracting investment, or adapting to a constantly changing global environment, a common stance is not optional. It is necessary.
Coordinated action strengthens negotiating power, leads to stronger and more consistent policy positions, and helps build a stable and reliable business environment. Fragmentation and internal disputes do the opposite. They weaken the voice of the business community and reduce the impact of its efforts. The President also has a responsibility here. He needs to maintain a balance between the two organizations and avoid making an already tense relationship even worse.
