Civil society group launches petition demanding government covers rent, utility bills

A civil society group that formed in Cyprus amid the coronavirus outbreak to address urgent social concerns that have slipped through the cracks of the government’s support package launched a petition on Wednesday demanding that the government moves to cover rent and suspend utility expenses.

According to the text of the petition, launched by the group ‘Social Solidarity Covid-19’ and addressed to Labour Minister Zeta Emlianidou, “as the weeks go by and the lockdown continues, financial conditions are becoming increasingly challenging for all those who have seen their income disappear or drastically reduced. It is now necessary to ensure housing for everyone.”

The online campaign stressed that while government decrees have moved to suspend employment, leaving many without a source of income, the public’s responsibility to keep afloat with rent and utility bills remains unchanged.

The petition demands that the government moves to relieve tenants of the financial burden of rent until the end of the year, and to cancel bill payments for electricity, water, and telecommunications.

“The lockdown may be helping to prevent the spread of the virus, but for many this is not an easy process. Securing housing under acceptable living conditions for everyone is a fundamental factor to ensure that lockdown can be maintained and to limit the spread,” the group stated.