President Nikos Christodoulides has made pension increases his government’s chief priority for 2026, with a focus on boosting the incomes of the lowest-paid retirees.
He set out the goal today at the Presidential Palace during meetings with delegations from trade unions SEK, PEO and DEOK, calling the unions “partners and companions” in the government’s work and underlining the importance of social dialogue.
Christodoulides acknowledged workers’ long-standing contribution to the Cypriot economy, saying people remain the driving force behind the country’s growth.
The government, he added, is ready to discuss the unions’ concerns with the relevant ministers, deputy ministers and state officials present.
On pension reform specifically, he said the aim is to wrap up all necessary procedures — including the parliamentary process — before the end of the year, as part of talks already under way.
Christodoulides said this is the first time since 1980 that the state has stepped in so decisively to raise pensions, with the primary goal of improving living standards for low-income pensioners and strengthening the financial security of the most vulnerable.