President Nikos Christodoulides has donated his €730 monthly pension to the Troodos village of Foini towards a care home for the elderly and disabled.

The donation covers the pension he receives for his 18 years of service as a diplomat at the foreign ministry and relates to his payment for this September.

Residents, staff and the village council publicly thanked Christodoulides for the contribution, describing it as “a practical expression of love and respect”.

The donation forms part of an arrangement under the pension waiver option law of last year, which allows state officials receiving pensions from previous public service to waive those payments while serving in office.

Christodoulides has contacted six such councils across the island and informed them that his monthly pension will be distributed among six facilities providing accommodation or care for elderly people over the next year.

The €730 monthly payment will be allocated to a different institution each year for as long as he remains president.

Christodoulides announced in August last year that he would give his state pension to charitable organisations caring for elderly people, following criticism of his continued receipt of a civil servant pension whilst serving as president.

Following his announcement parliament passed legislation the same month allowing officials to formally waive pension payments while serving in public office.

Then accountant-general Andreas Antoniades subsequently said the changes represented an improvement but did not “correct all distortions” in the system.

Christodoulides’ presidential salary is at present €14,401 gross per month, according to treasury figures, with take-home pay of €9,145.