The council of ministers on Monday approved a Christmas ‘gift’ for poor pensioners and those on guaranteed minimum income, and the establishment of an interministerial body to handle the increased flows of irregular migrants.

As for the Christmas gifts, it is a subsidy and not valued as an income, the total bonuses will amount to €18m and beneficiaries will also include the enclaved communities in the Karpasia.

The government further detailed that the interministerial body to deal with the migration issue will be comprised of the interior, defence and justice ministries.

The cabinet also decided to greenlight a bill which aims to modernise the legislation on electricity, with goals to make the sector more productive.

The bill, they say, will bring national legislation in line with EU directives and establishes regulations for the creation of private power plants and storage facilities.