Cabinet approves changes to national guard contract soldiers

Decisions on the national guard’s contract soldiers were announced on Wednesday by President Nikos Christodoulides after a cabinet meeting, with measures aimed at strengthening the country’s deterrent capabilities.

Christodoulides said the cabinet had agreed to raise the retirement age for contract soldiers from 42 to 57 and to extend the recruitment eligibility from 27 to 35.

“Strengthening our country’s deterrent power is a top priority. This reinforcement begins primarily with national guard officers themselves,” he said.

A merit-based process will be introduced for contracted officers (Syops) to be allowed advancement to the rank of Sergeant Major.

“It was a constant request in all the visits I had made to the camps,” Christodoulides said.

The cabinet also approved an increase in their monthly allowance for those serving in the special forces, the frogmen (OYK), demining units from €100 to €150, and nurses from €200 to €250.

Christodoulides linked the reforms to economic growth, saying that “the ability to make decisions like today arises through the development of the economy,” adding that it allows investment in “strengthening the defence and security of our country.”

He concluded that “this is another example that our responsible economic policy allows us to make such important decisions.”