Parties step up attacks on Clerides

By Elias Hazou

BOTH coalition and opposition parties yesterday continued their caustic criticism of the government in the Vintzilaios case, as ruling party Disy tried to play down the affair as nothing but humanitarian.

Vasilis Vintzilaios, the junta’s intelligence chief, was allowed entry into Cyprus last July on a five-day visit to tie up some outstanding financial matters. Special permission for the no.1 undesirable had been given by President Clerides himself, who by-passed the Interior Ministry and CID in doing so, instructing Justice Minister Nicos Koshis to issue a permit for the visit.

Tuesday’s outcry produced a statement by the Presidential Palace on behalf of the President who assumed responsibility for the matter.

Communist Akel headed the anti-coup offensive, as the party’s spokesman Nicos Katsourides yesterday suggested Vintzilaios’ visit had purposes other than taking care of financial matters. “Was it really necessary for him to come to the island?” puzzled Katsourides. Hinting at a government conspiracy, he wondered: “Do they mean to tell us that not only was he allowed to enter the country, but he was also allowed to roam freely without any police surveillance?”

The President, currently on an Aegean cruise aboard his yacht, is expected to clear up the matter on his return, and to appease coalition partners Edek, who have been equally critical of the incident.

Party leader Vassos Lyssarides yesterday again called on the President to offer a public apology, and said that his actions constituted a “serious mistake”.

But ruling right-wing Disy tried to play down the affair. Party leader Nicos Anastassiades said that the incident should be seen rather as a humanitarian case. “It is a shame this issue has been politicised,” he said.

A government statement yesterday sought to clear the smoke, explaining that since Vintzilaios continued to be on the stop-list at the time of his arrival, it was within the Justice Ministry’s jurisdiction to grant permission for entry. Such police affairs come under the Justice Ministry, the statement explained.

Centre-right Diko added its voice to the outcry, with party leader and House president Spyros Kyprianou calling the incident a “huge issue that is far from over.” Kyprianou said he intended to talk to the President on his return from holiday.

The matter is expected to be raised by the parties when the House reconvenes after its summer break.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.