DISY MPs walked out of the House Plenum yesterday, closely followed by EDEK, after waiting for over two hours for the plenary session to begin without being given an explanation.
In a first of its kind move, the opposition’s entire parliamentary team stormed out of the room and said they would discuss whether to return.
“This has turned into a joke,” DISY deputy Nicos Tornaritis was heard saying as he departed.
About half an hour later, EDEK deputies followed suit. The party’s MP Marinos Sizopoulos said it wasn’t so much the delay that had led to their decision, but the fact that no explanation had been given.
The session had been scheduled extraordinarily before the Easter recess to approve vital budgets, such as that of the Cyprus Tourism Organisation and Electricity Authority of Cyprus.
After a meeting in House President Marios Garoyian’s office, the MPs returned to their chairs and the session eventually began a full two-and-a-half hours after it had been scheduled, with Garoyian’s apologies.
He explained the delay was down to DIKO deputies, who were discussing amendments to the bills that were about to be discussed.
“As it has become a habit for plenary sessions to start with delays, I would like to state clearly that as of the House of Representatives’ next session, we will start at 4pm on the dot and I am sending a plea to everyone to be present on time so the sessions can begin,” said Garoyian.
“If the necessary amount of deputies is present, then the sessions will begin.”
The parties’ representatives said they were satisfied with this explanation.
DIKO parliamentary spokesman Andreas Angelides told reporters: “It is a fact that the Democratic Party was late concluding its meeting on the amendments today, but it had been agreed last week that this out-of-schedule Plenum session would have time-related problems”.
He added that the party took full responsibility for the delay. “We apologise. We have some serious bills to discuss today and we needed time to discuss our proposed amendments.”
Before the session had the chance to begin, Green Party MP George Perdikis reminded Garoyian of his right to order pay cuts for deputies who are absent from plenary sessions.
This, he said, could be added to the MPs’ agreement to accept a 10 per cent pay cut.
“This is a complicated matter that can’t be resolved here and now,” Garoyian replied. “But parliament had decided on such a move before the announcement was made by the President [Demetris Christofias suggested state officials accept a 10 per cent pay cut to help alleviate the effects of the financial crisis.”
