The north’s net minimum wage was reduced by 120TL (€3.43) per month following an appeal by business owners. The government does not know what it is doing. The north’s new gross minimum wage is higher than that of 13 European Union member states, including Greece.
– A sixth consecutive working day of protests took place between the north’s ‘government’ and Turkish Cypriot farmers over a decision to import meat from the Netherlands.
– A larger number of trade unions from other sectors of Turkish Cypriot society joined the farmers’ unions in solidarity.
– The ‘government’ offered to meet with union representatives at the north’s ‘parliament’ building instead of in the ‘prime minister’s’ office, which was rejected by the protesters.
– The ‘government’ had announced a decision to import meat from the Netherlands to bring down prices for consumers, but farmers believe they are being undercut by the Dutch meat. ‘Ministers’ have consistently insisted that there will be “no stepping back” from the policy.
The government of Cyprus is proposing new regulations to standardize sick leave in the public sector, reducing annual sick leave from 42 to 28 days and sick days without a doctor’s certificate from 8 to 6. Unions are opposing these changes and calling for broader consultations, which the government believes will prevent the regulations from being updated or standardized. The government argues that the abuses of sick leave entitlement are costly to the taxpayer and should be addressed through imposition of regulations rather than prolonged dialogue with unions.
Cyprus has signed an €8 million deal with Microsoft to provide 10,000 public sector workers with Microsoft 365 licenses and to upgrade the country’s digital infrastructure. This five-year Enterprise Agreement includes email, secure collaboration tools, cloud computing services, project management, reporting software, and support services from Microsoft specialists for smooth implementation and user training. Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Nicodemos Damianou, sees this as the start of broader cooperation with Microsoft, aiming to create a modern, digital state. Yanna Andronopoulou, Managing Director for Microsoft Greece, Cyprus, and Malta, views the agreement as a significant step towards Cyprus’s digital future. The agreement aims to improve public sector efficiency and service quality for Cypriot citizens, marking a milestone in Cyprus’s digital modernisation efforts.