With elections over, time to push reforms through says finance minister

Finance Minister Constantinos Petrides called on parties on Tuesday to leave the elections behind and concentrate on pushing through reforms needed by the country.

Petrides said what the government sought, and what society showed with its choices in Sunday’s election were consensus and creative discussions to push these policies through, whether they are called reforms or budget, for the country to move forward.

“This is what is necessary, we are turning a page, we must leave the toxicity behind… and from today, see how the executive and the legislature can best cooperate,” the minister said.

Petrides said the election results showed that the people did not care for negativity and toxicity and state institutions should take this into consideration for the country to move forward.

Asked whether he planned on embarking on new initiatives to push the government’s reform plans, the minister said the administration had always engaged in consultations “even if some people do not admit this.”

He said consultations always preceded the submission of reform bills and “all parties certainly know we are at their disposal to discuss their positions and oftentimes what is said about there not being any consultations is not true.”

The minister said the government’s priorities, which are also included in the recovery scheme, concerned the reform of the public service, which must be done by the end of the year, as well as local authority reform.