House corruption report put back to the new year

THE HOUSE Watchdog Committee’s expected condemnation of Interior Minister Dinos Michaelides has been delayed until January next year.

Akel, Diko and Edek asked for more time to consider their final position on the Michaelides affair during yesterday’s meeting, which took place behind closed doors.

The parties had been expected to give their final say on the committee’s report to be sent to the House plenum for discussion.

Now the report will not be completed until the three parties give their view on Michaelides’ conduct as a minister when the committee reconvenes on January 14.

However, details of the draft report, which comes down hard on the absent minister, were made available to the press yesterday.

According to the draft report, the committee describes the minister’s behaviour as “politically unacceptable” and contrary to the principles which guide those in public office.

It says that those holding high office must avoid using such position to promote their own interests or give the impression that they might be doing so.

Michaelides’ conduct is also blamed for damaging the public’s trust in the government and the democratic process in general.

Committee chairman Christos Pourgourides has long argued that Michaelides’ own admission that he purchased luxury flats from major developers on the cheap and received a huge bank loan without a mortgage were sufficient grounds for his resignation.

It seems likely that the parties will unanimously agree to adopt the critical stance of the minister’s conduct.

The stumbling block appears to be over whether the committee should go further and censure President Clerides personally over his handling of the corruption fiasco.

Akel and Diko may want to go as far as making Clerides himself responsible for his failure to sack the minister after a criminal investigation was announced.

The committee has made clear its dissatisfaction over Clerides’ initial decision to ask the Auditor-general to probe the allegations.

The Auditor-general’s probe was criticised for having no investigatory powers.

Governing Disy and Edek are understandably reluctant to sanction potentially damaging criticism of Clerides.

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