By Martin Hellicar
THE HOUSE of Representatives plenum finally approved the 1999 defence budget yesterday, six months after it was first submitted to parliament.
The plenum also approved a compromise six-month extension to defence levy increases.
The government had to amend defence budget provisions for the purchase of advanced weapons systems — making them subject to parliamentary scrutiny — before opposition deputies would support the bill.
Even so, the 15 attending deputies of main opposition party Akel abstained from the vote on the £168 million budget. Party parliamentary spokesman Andreas Christou explained that Akel did not support the government amendment and would have liked to have been able to vote for the whole budget, with the exception of the £40 million designated for weapons systems.
The Akel stance does not bode well for the government when it comes round to seeking House approval for purchase of the Aspide missiles and attack helicopters that the National Guard is said to covet.
Many deputies fear any weapons systems the government tries to buy will meet with the same fate as the Russian S-300 missiles. The government had to redirect the ground-to-air missiles to Crete under the pressure of Turkish threats and opposition to the order from the UN, US and EU.
House defence committee chairman Takis Hadjidemetriou of Edek called on the government to make greater effort to consult with parties before submitting future defence budgets.
“Defence demands harmony in society and political relations. If there are divisions, defence is hit,” he said.
Acting House president Nicos Anastassiades respectfully asked Defence Minister Yiannakis Chrisostomis — who watched the debate — to take note of Hadjidemetriou’s point.
The other contentious bill up for consideration yesterday was an extension of the defence levy increase. The government again had to concede ground before the bill was approved.
It had sought a three-and-a-half year extension of the levy increase, but had to settle for a compromise six months.
The initial defence levy hike last August from two to three per cent was eventually passed by a majority of one on the proviso it was reviewed every six months.
In December 1998, the blanket levy was passed for a further six months in which certain individuals and organisations were put into a higher four per cent bracket.
Akel’s Christou, whose party voted against yesterday, said the government was trying to pull the wool over people’s eyes.
“We would agree if this was the first time the government had suggested a six-month extension, but it is the third time,” he protested. He said government promises for consultation before the levy came up for renewal again would prove empty.
