AlphaMega Style - May 2009, Issue 8

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Û˘ÓÂÓÙ¢ÍËprofile

∏ ÀÔ˘ÚÁfi˜ Ù˘ ‰ÈÏ·Ó‹˜ fiÚÙ·˜…

™ˆÙËÚԇϷ ÷ڷϿÌÔ˘˜

Soteroulla Charalambous

Your f riendly minister... oteroulla Charalambous is the first woman in Cyprus’ political history to hold the post of Minister of Labour & Social Insurance. An accomplished politician, she has enjoyed success in every post she has held. But a successful career hasn’t meant sacrificing a happy home life. A wife and mother of three, she still cooks her family’s meals and doesn’t employ a live-in maid. She also believes that natural beauty is more important than the superficial beauty of make up products and cosmetics.

We recently met with the Minister and asked about her hectic life: The President of the Republic appointed you as Minister of Labour. This is a crucial post and you are the first woman called to tackle it. Was convincing your colleagues that you can actually do the job easy?

It’s not easy convincing anyone at the beginning that he or she can do a better job than others before her. What I can say is that I’ve experienced no prejudice or mistrust because I am a woman. At the end of the day, we will all be judged on what we’ve accomplished.

What are your priorities at this time as Minister?

Our main objective is to focus on the impact of the global economic crisis. Maintaining a high employment rate is top priority. The Ministry is already taking measures to ensure that employment is protected and illegal employment is stopped.

The implementation of the recently voted bill for the survival of the Social Insurance Fund is our second priority. We want to increase low pensions gradually.

The New Year saw the launch of the Department of Social Integration of Special Needs’ Persons and our goal for this year is to take drastic steps towards increasing the percentage of such individuals in the workforce.

Another issue that is important to us is the creation of local welfare offices and the substantial enhancement and reorganisation of the Social Welfare Services and the modernisation of the labour relations’ system.

What would you like to see change at the Labour Ministry?

I think we all want to simplify procedures and not feel like we are prisoners of them. This is what I want for the

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“I don’t smoke and have never smoked in my life.

I support the total banning of smoking in recreation areas.

I am not a prisoner of fashion trends.

I don’t like to use too much make up.” ™ˆÙËÚԇϷ ÷ڷϷÌÔ˘˜ ¤¯ÂÈ ‹‰Ë ÁÚ¿„ÂÈ ÈÛÙÔÚ›· ˆ˜ Ë ÚÒÙË Á˘Ó·›Î· ÀÔ˘ÚÁfi˜ ∂ÚÁ·Û›·˜ Î·È ∫ÔÈÓˆÓÈÎÒÓ ∞ÛÊ·Ï›ÛÂˆÓ ÛÙËÓ ÈÛÙÔÚ›· ÙˆÓ Î˘ÚÈ·ÎÒÓ Î˘‚ÂÚÓ‹ÛˆÓ. ¢È·ÙËÚ› ¤Ó· ÚÔÊ›Ï ‰È·ÏÏ·ÎÙÈÎÔ‡ ÔÏÈÙÈÎÔ‡ Î·È ¤¯ÂÈ ÂÈÙ‡¯ÂÈ Û fiϘ ÙȘ ı¤ÛÂȘ Ô˘ ˘ËÚ¤ÙËÛ ̤¯ÚÈ Û‹ÌÂÚ·. ¶·ÚfiÏ· ·˘Ù¿ ·Ú·Ì¤ÓÂÈ ·Ï‹. £· ÙËÓ ¯·Ú·ÎÙËÚ›˙·Ì ˆ˜ ÙËÓ ÔÏÈÙÈÎfi… Ù˘ ‰ÈÏ·Ó‹˜ fiÚÙ·˜. ™‡˙˘ÁÔ˜ Î·È ÌËÙ¤Ú· ÙÚÈÒÓ ·È‰ÈÒÓ, Ì·ÁÂÈÚ‡ÂÈ ·fi ÙÔ ‚Ú¿‰˘ ÁÈ· ÙÔ ÌÂÛËÌÂÚÈ·Ófi Î·È ‰ÂÓ ‰È·ı¤ÙÂÈ ÂÛˆÙÂÚÈ΋ ÔÈÎȷ΋ ‚ÔËıfi. ªÈ· Á˘Ó·›Î· Ô˘ ÂȂ‚·ÈÒÓÂÈ ÙË Ï·˚΋ ÛÔÊ›· fiÙÈ Ë Ê˘ÛÈ΋ ÔÌÔÚÊÈ¿ Â›Ó·È ÚÔÙÈÌfiÙÂÚË ·fi ÙËÓ Ù¯ÓËÙ‹ ÙÔ˘ Ì·ÎÈÁÈ¿˙ Î·È ÙˆÓ Î·ÏÏ˘ÓÙÈÎÒÓ. √ ¶Úfi‰ÚÔ˜ Ù˘ ¢ËÌÔÎÚ·Ù›·˜ Û·˜ ¤¯ÂÈ ÙÔÔıÂÙ‹ÛÂÈ Û ¤Ó· Ó¢ڷÏÁÈÎfi ÀÔ˘ÚÁ›Ô, Î·È Â›ÛÙÂ Ë ÚÒÙË Á˘Ó·›Î· ÀÔ˘ÚÁfi˜ ∂ÚÁ·Û›·˜. ¶fiÛÔ Â‡ÎÔÏÔ ‹Ù·Ó Ó· ›ÛÂÙ ÙÔ˘˜ Û˘ÓÂÚÁ¿Ù˜ Û·˜ fiÙÈ ı· Ù· ηٷʤÚÂÙ ÂÍ›ÛÔ˘ ηϿ ‹ Î·È Î·Ï‡ÙÂÚ· ·fi ÙÔ˘˜ ÚÔηÙfi¯Ô˘˜ Û·˜; ∫·Ó¤Ó·˜ ‰ÂÓ ›ıÂÈ ·fi ÙËÓ ·Ú¯‹ ·Ó ı· Ù· ηٷʤÚÂÈ ÂÍ›ÛÔ˘ ηϿ ‹ Î·È Î·Ï‡ÙÂÚ· ·fi ÙÔÓ ÚÔοÙÔ¯Ô ÙÔ˘. ∂ΛÓÔ ÙÔ ÔÔ›Ô ÌÔÚÒ Ó· ˆ Â›Ó·È fiÙÈ ÔÙ¤ ‰ÂÓ ·ÓÙÈÌÂÙÒÈÛ· ÚÔηٿÏË„Ë ‹ ‰˘ÛÈÛÙ›· ÂÂȉ‹ Â›Ì·È Á˘Ó·›Î·. ∞fi ÂΛ Î·È ¤Ú· Ô Î·ı¤Ó·˜ ı· ÎÚÈı› ÛÙÔ Ù¤ÏÔ˜ ·fi ÙÔ ¤ÚÁÔ ÙÔ˘ Î·È ·˘Ù‹ Ë ÎÚ›ÛË ı· Â›Ó·È Û˘ÓÔÏÈ΋. ¢ÂÓ ÍÂÎÈÓ¿ ηÓ›˜ ÂÎ ÚÔÔÈÌ›Ô˘ ıÂÙÈο Ë ·ÚÓËÙÈο. ¶ÔȘ Â›Ó·È ÔÈ ÛËÌ·ÓÙÈÎfiÙÂÚ˜ ÚÔÙÂÚ·ÈfiÙËÙ˜ Û·˜ ·˘Ù‹ ÙËÓ ÂÚ›Ô‰Ô ˆ˜ ÀÔ˘ÚÁfi˜ ∂ÚÁ·Û›·˜; ∞ÓÙÈÏ·Ì‚¿ÓÂÛÙ fiÙÈ ÙÒÚ· ÔÈ ÚÔÙÂÚ·ÈfiÙËÙ˜ Ì·˜ ÂÈÎÂÓÙÚÒÓÔÓÙ·È ÛÙÔ ˆ˜ ˆ˜

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ÀÔ˘ÚÁÂ›Ô ∂ÚÁ·Û›·˜ Î·È ∫ÔÈÓˆÓÈÎÒÓ ∞ÛÊ·Ï›ÛÂˆÓ Î·Ù·ı¤ÙÔ˘Ì ÙË ‰È΋ Ì·˜ Û˘Ì‚ÔÏ‹ ÛÙËÓ ·ÓÙÈÌÂÙÒÈÛË ÙˆÓ ÂÈÙÙÒÛÂˆÓ ·fi ÙËÓ ·ÁÎfiÛÌÈ· ÔÈÎÔÓÔÌÈ΋ ÎÚ›ÛË. ∂Ô̤ӈ˜ ÚÒÙË ÚÔÙÂÚ·ÈfiÙËÙ· Ì·˜ Â›Ó·È Ë ‰È·Ù‹ÚËÛË ÙÔ˘ ˘„ËÏÔ‡ ÔÛÔÛÙÔ‡ ··Û¯fiÏËÛ˘. ◊‰Ë ÙÔ ÀÔ˘ÚÁÂ›Ô Ï·Ì‚¿ÓÂÈ Ì¤ÙÚ· Ô˘ ÛÙfi¯Ô ¤¯Ô˘Ó Ó· ÚÔÛٷهÛÔ˘Ó ÙËÓ ··Û¯fiÏËÛË Î·È Ó· ·Ù¿ÍÔ˘Ó ÙËÓ ·Ú¿ÓÔÌË ÂÚÁÔ‰fiÙËÛË. ¢Â‡ÙÂÚË ÚÔÙÂÚ·ÈfiÙËÙ· ÙÔ˘ ÀÔ˘ÚÁ›Ԣ Â›Ó·È Ë ÂÊ·ÚÌÔÁ‹ ÙÔ˘ ÓÔÌÔۯ‰›Ô˘ ÁÈ· ‰È·ÛÊ¿ÏÈÛË Ù˘ ‚ȈÛÈÌfiÙËÙ·˜ ÙÔ˘ Δ∫∞ Ô˘ „ËÊ›ÛÙËΠÚfiÛÊ·Ù·. ™Ùfi¯Ô˜ Ì·˜ Â›Ó·È Â›Û˘, ÛÙ·‰È·Î¿ Ó· ·˘Í‹ÛÔ˘Ì ÙȘ ¯·ÌËϤ˜ Û˘ÓÙ¿ÍÂȘ. ªÂ ÙÔ Ó¤Ô ¯ÚfiÓÔ Ù¤ıËΠ۠ÏÂÈÙÔ˘ÚÁ›· Î·È ÙÔ ΔÌ‹Ì· ∫ÔÈÓˆÓÈ΋˜ ∂Óۈ̿وÛ˘ ∞ÙfiÌˆÓ Ì ∞Ó·Ëڛ˜ Î·È ÛÙÔ¯Â‡Ô˘Ì ÙÔ 2009 Ó· Á›ÓÔ˘Ó ÚÈ˙Èο ‚‹Ì·Ù· ÛÙÔ ÎÂÊ¿Ï·ÈÔ ·˘Ùfi Ì ÚÒÙÔ, ÙËÓ ÂÈÛ·ÁˆÁ‹ ÔÛfiÛÙˆÛ˘ ÁÈ· ÙËÓ Î·Ï‡ÙÂÚË ¤ÓÙ·ÍË ·ÙfiÌˆÓ Ì ·Ó·Ëڛ˜ ÛÙËÓ ··Û¯fiÏËÛË. ªÂٷ͇ ÙˆÓ ÚÔÙÂÚ·ÈÔÙ‹ÙˆÓ Ì·˜ ·Ú·Ì¤ÓÂÈ Î·È Ë ‰ËÌÈÔ˘ÚÁ›· ÙÔÈÎÒÓ ÁÚ·Ê›ˆÓ ∂˘ËÌÂÚ›·˜ Î·È Ë Ô˘ÛÈ·ÛÙÈ΋ ·Ó·‰fiÌËÛË ÙˆÓ ÀËÚÂÛÈÒÓ ∫ÔÈÓˆÓÈ΋˜ ∂˘ËÌÂÚ›·˜ ηıÒ˜ Î·È Ô ÂÎÛ˘Á¯ÚÔÓÈÛÌfi˜ ÙÔ˘ Û˘ÛÙ‹Ì·ÙÔ˜ ÂÚÁ·ÛÈ·ÎÒÓ Û¯¤ÛˆÓ. ΔÈ ı· ı¤Ï·Ù ӷ ÂÍ·Ê·Ó›ÛÂÙ ·fi ÙÔ ÀÔ˘ÚÁÂ›Ô ∂ÚÁ·Û›·˜; ¡ÔÌ›˙ˆ ·˘Ùfi Ô˘ ‚·Û·Ó›˙ÂÈ fiÏÔ˘˜ ÙÔ˘˜ ÔÏÈÙÈÎÔ‡˜ ÚÔ˚ÛÙ¿ÌÂÓÔ˘˜ Î·È ÙÔÓ Î¿ı ÔÏ›ÙË: ÙÔ Ó· ÁÈÓfiÌ·ÛÙ οÔÙ «‰¤ÛÌÈÔÈ» ÙˆÓ ‰È·‰ÈηÛÈÒÓ Î·È Ó· ıÂÔÔÈԇ̠ÙȘ ‰È·‰Èηۛ˜. ∞˘Ùfi Â›Ó·È Ô˘ ı¤Ïˆ Ó· ÂÍ·Ê·Ó›Ûˆ ·fi ÙÔ ÀÔ˘ÚÁ›Ô. ¶Ú¤ÂÈ Ó· ·ÏÔÔÈËıÔ‡Ó ÔÈ ‰È·‰Èηۛ˜ Î·È ı· ‹ıÂÏ· ÔÈ ÏÂÈÙÔ˘ÚÁÔ› ÙÔ˘ ÀÔ˘ÚÁ›Ԣ, ÙËÓ ÒÚ· Ô˘ ¤¯Ô˘Ó Ó· ¯ÂÈÚÈÛÙÔ‡Ó ¤Ó· ˙‹ÙËÌ· Ó· ÌËÓ ÛÙ·ÏÒÓÔ˘Ó ÛÙȘ ‰È·‰Èηۛ˜ ·ÏÏ¿ Ó· ‚Ú›ÛÎÔ˘Ó ÂΛӘ ÙȘ χÛÂȘ Ô˘ ı· Â›Ó·È ÚÔ˜ ÙÔ Û˘ÌʤÚÔÓ ÙÔ˘ ÔÏ›ÙË. ¶ÔÈ· Â›Ó·È Ù· ÛÙÔȯ›· Ô˘ Û·˜ ¯·Ú·ÎÙËÚ›˙Ô˘Ó ˆ˜ Â·ÁÁÂÏÌ·Ù›·; ∞˘Ùfi ‰ÂÓ ÓÔÌ›˙ˆ fiÙÈ ÌÔÚÒ Ó· ÙÔ ··ÓÙ‹Ûˆ ÂÁÒ. ∂ΛÓÔ ÙÔ ÔÔ›Ô ÌÔÚÒ Ó· ˆ Â›Ó·È fiÙÈ ‚Ú›ÛÎÔÌ·È Û ·˘Ùfi ÙÔ ÀÔ˘ÚÁÂ›Ô Ì ÌÈ· ÈÛ¯˘Ú‹ ÔÏÈÙÈ΋ ‰¤ÛÌ¢ÛË Ó· Û˘Ì‚¿Ïˆ, ÛÙÔ Ì¤ÙÚÔ ÙˆÓ ‰˘Ó·ÙÔÙ‹ÙˆÓ ÌÔ˘, ÛÙËÓ ˘ÏÔÔ›ËÛË ÙÔ˘ ÚÔÁÚ¿ÌÌ·ÙÔ˜ ‰È·Î˘‚¤ÚÓËÛ˘ Î·È ·˘Ùfi˜

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