Irate Michaelides lashes out Pourgourides

INTERIOR Minister Dinos Michaelides yesterday replied angrily to parliamentary demands for more details on his income, assets and property.

Speaking on national radio, Michaelides wondered if the House Watchdog Committee “would like to find out how much cutlery I have, how many pairs of underwear, how many socks and how many ties.”

Raising his voice, Michaelides said that the Committee’s chairman, Christos Pourgourides, had had “enough time to prove what he accused me of.” The minister said he could not understand why the incomes of the entire Michaelides family were relevant to the charges.

“Next time you speak to him (Pourgourides), ask him what the incomes of Michaelides’ children,” have to do with the case,” he said.

A furious Michaelides even went on to mention the cost of his furniture, which he brought to Cyprus from his ambassadorial post in Cairo in 1978.

Michaelides said Pourgourides should finally realise that “his duty and hand only reach up to a point,” and that the time when “Pourgourides thought he could rule Cyprus” had passed.

“Some time, some things must close,” he said.

He concluded by saying he had no appetite to discuss these issues with Pourgourides at this time but, “maybe somewhere else at some other time.”

Michaelides had been under put under the microscope by the Watchdog Committee after Pourgourides laid allegations against him of corruption and illegitimate wealth.

The minister was later cleared of any wrong-doing by Cabinet-appointed investigators.

Pourgourides continues to insist that Michaelides is guilty of the allegations.

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