D.I.S.Y. deputy Christos Pourgourides said yesterday the party’s Political Bureau would probably withdraw its confidence in Paralimni Mayor Nicos Vlittis at its next meeting and urge him to resign.
Pourgourides, who has spearheaded the campaign against Vlittis following allegations that the mayor and his associates had abused their power to favour friends and relatives by facilitating or expediting the issue of building permits, was speaking at a Youth DISY (NEDISY) meeting.
Although he said he could not presume to know what the party’s Political Bureau would eventually decide, Pourgourides said he believed their decision would eventually move towards one similar to that taken by the majority of Paralimni Municipal councillors on Friday night. After a one-hour meeting, eight out of 10 Municipal Council members called for Vlittis to step down as mayor.
Pourgourides’ statements yesterday came as no surprise, although DISY has so far played it safe, saying it would wait for the Auditor-general’s findings before taking any action against the mayor, who is backed by the right-wing party.
Vlittis’ term in office has been hanging by a thread after councillors from his own party announced he no longer enjoyed their confidence. There has also been speculation about his continued membership of the party, although Pourgourides said he could know whether the party would proceed to have the mayor struck off.
The deputy added that although he did not know the content of Auditor-general Chrystalla Yiorkadji’s 27-page report, which has prompted a criminal investigation into the allegations, he had conducted his own investigation “in co-operation with all the relevant government services and with great precision”.
Although he stopped short of naming names, Vlittis has said senior DISY officials orchestrated his downfall and that “people in high places” had wanted him to carry out “illegal actions” on their behalf.
Pourgourides responded yesterday by challenging Vlittis to come forward publicly with his alleged evidence and said “it is unprecedented and unethical to say he has evidence and to blackmail and threaten in this manner”. The deputy said if Vlittis did not have any evidence to support his claims they were tantamount to blackmail.
Pourgourides accused Vlittis of behaving cynically towards DISY, and said this sort of behaviour by a public figure was unacceptable.
“I call on Mr Vlittis, even at the eleventh hour, to realise that we must place our institutions above ourselves,” he said.
