Source: CNA
Uncertainty is the only certain thing in the new era we are entering, said Finance Minister Constantinos Petrides addressing the 14th Congress of the Free Trade Unions of Semi-Governmental Organizations (OHO-SEK).
"We are entering a new era of uncertainty. The only certainty for the future is uncertainty ", said Petrides, noting that the unions, the employers and the Government should continue to be mindful in order to avoid "new adventures".
Petrides said that the social dialogue started from the first day of the current government under difficult conditions, as a right-wing government was replacing a left-wing one. He said that this was an opportunity that some people were looking for to "kill trade unionism", but the government has denied it as it fully respected the labor institutions and the provisions of social dialogue, even during the difficult times of the pandemic.
He added that the meetings between the late Minister of Labor, Zeta Aimilianides, and the Minister of Finance at that time were daily and it was the good cooperation between the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Labor and the Social Partners that helped to get out of the pandemic crisis faster and more effectively, supporting businesses and employees with a fund of more than one billion euros.
He also said that due to the government's policy, unemployment was reduced from 17% to 7%.
"We have proved that we are always engaged in social dialogue, that we always respect the labor institutions and we will not deviate from this effort at the end of our term," he said.
