Cabinet ratifies rent subsidies and new deputy ministry
The newly formed cabinet convened for the first time on Thursday, ratifying the new deputy ministry position for European Affairs and approving a lump sum to subsidise low-income individuals for their rent. Cabinet also appointed the new board for the financial ombudsman’s office.
Welcoming the new ministers and deputy ministers, President Nikos Christodoulides said “we will work together to achieve everything we have promised to the Cypriot people. You are, as of yesterday, members of a hard-working team.”
He underlined he would have individual meetings with each one to discuss their responsibilities and pledged he would be available to all members of his cabinet to lend his support.
The council of ministers decided to grant a lump sum for Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) recipients who already receive a state subsidy for their rent.
During the session, the deputy ministry for European Affairs was also ratified, with Marilina Raouna taking on the post as of January 11.
According to government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis, she will be tasked with preparing for Cyprus’ Presidency of the Council of the EU in 2026, concluding on July 31, 2026. The decision will be published in the Official Gazette of the Republic.
Letymbiotis underlined that the appointment is necessary as the assumption of the second Cyprus Presidency creates a specific set of obligations concerning the representation of the Republic of Cyprus at the political level in the General Affairs Council and before the European Parliament.
Secondly, there is a need for appropriate preparatory work for the adequate briefing and coordination of the various services of the Republic. Third, it requires holding a series of contacts at the political level with representatives of the European Parliament and other EU institutions.
The responsibilities of the deputy minister will include the political supervision of the Secretariat of the Cyprus Presidency of the EU in 2026, political representation in EU institutions and bodies and contacts with these institutions and bodies, as well as the overall supervision, in cooperation and consultation with the Ministers responsible, of the preparation and implementation of the Cyprus Presidency.
“Our goal is for the six months of the Cyprus Presidency to be an important milestone not only for Cyprus, but also for the EU,” Letymbiotis said.