Archbishop comes out in favour of privatisations

Poly Pantelides – 6/3/13

THROWING his weight behind the privatisation of state assets, Archbishop Chrysostomos II yesterday said he believed privatising semi-governmental organisations (SGOs) was the way forward.

The outspoken head of the Church who likes to dabble in politics and publicly backed President Nicos Anastasiades in run-up to the elections, told an SGO yesterday – state broadcaster CyBC – that privatisations should start as soon as possible.

“So that I’m not misunderstood, I stress that I do not wish for anyone to lose their job, and I believe this is also the government’s position,” the archbishop said.

“(Employees) can move elsewhere,” he said, without specifying where.

“There has to be healthy competition because it brings progress… (and) SGOs, with their salaries and high staff numbers, will not be profitable in five years,” he said.

The primate gave only two years to the telecommunications authority, CyTA and said it was best to sell majority stakes to the private sector.

The previous government had agreed to a draft bailout agreement with its international lenders that allows for the possibility of privatising state assets if the country’s debt is deemed unsustainable.

On Saturday Anastasiades was forced to qualify statements by Finance Minister Michalis Sarris who had said strategic investors could be found for CyTA which is a better position of being privatised than other bodies.

Anastasiades said that SGO employees did not have to worry about their jobs, but said that the government would need to focus on ensuring the country’s debt would be sustainable during bailout negotiations.

But AKEL, now in opposition after five years in government, has accused the government of a U-turn on their electoral promises.

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