A bill proposing the abolition of the Independent Social Support Agency was tabled on Thursday before the plenary session of the House of Representatives. The proposal aims to terminate the Agency’s operation and transfer its responsibilities and obligations to an existing institution.
The bill is co-signed by Stefanos Stefanou, Secretary General of AKEL, Kyriakos Hadjiyiannis, MP for DISY, and independent MP Alexandra Attalides.
What the bill provides for
According to the text of the proposal, the law governing the operation of the Independent Social Support Agency is to be repealed, with a six-month transition period foreseen from the entry into force of the new legislation.
During this transitional phase, the existing Management Committee will be limited strictly to handling pending matters and will not assume any new responsibilities or take new decisions.
Following the completion of the six-month period, the Agency will cease to exist permanently as a legal entity.
What happens to funds and obligations
The proposal places particular emphasis on the handling of the Agency’s assets and obligations. It states that all rights, obligations and assets of the Independent Social Support Agency will be transferred to the Cyprus State Scholarships Foundation.
Under this arrangement, the Foundation will assume responsibility for fulfilling all existing commitments, ensuring that beneficiaries and pending obligations already undertaken are not affected.
Rationale behind the proposal
In the explanatory memorandum accompanying the bill, the stated objective is to avoid overlapping competencies, ensure better use of available resources, and strengthen transparency and accountability through institutions that already operate within a clearly defined legal framework.
The transfer of responsibilities to an organisation with an established statutory role is described as a more effective solution than maintaining parallel structures. The bill is expected to be discussed by the competent parliamentary committee before being submitted to the House plenary for a final decision.