Fact: The auditor-general, Odysseas Michaelides, issued a public statement criticizing the opinion given by the Legal Service on government bills dealing with multiple pensions and retirement age, implying that the government was behaving unethically.
The social insurance fund (SIF) in Cyprus is financially viable until at least the year 2080, based on an actuarial study outlined by Labour Minister Yiannis Panayiotou. The study found that the fund’s revenues are sufficient to cover annual increases in spending on pensions, and the reserves of the SIF are at satisfactory levels. The analysis determined that it is not necessary to raise the retirement age until the next review in 2025. The International Labour Organisation recommended diversifying the SIF’s investment portfolio and gradually altering its investment policy. The review’s findings will serve as a baseline for the planned pension reform of 2025.