DISY to table bill forcing publication of Mari probes

OPPOSITION DISY is planning to submit a bill in parliament to make compulsory the publication of the results of investigative committees.

The bill will “take away from the Cabinet the ability to decide whether (Polyviou’s report) will be made public,” a statement from DISY read.

Polys Polyviou’s investigative committee was appointed by the Cabinet to investigate the extent of political responsibility over the deadly July 11 explosion at the naval base in Mari.

According to the bill, any references to matters of the highest national security will be excluded but those will need to be given to the House President.

When the investigation at hand involves the President of the Republic, the Cabinet, or anyone appointed by Cabinet, the proposed bill will allow the Supreme Court to appoint an Investigative Committee on the Attorney-general’s suggestion.

The bill aims to institutionalise the powers of any investigative committee and make obligatory its requests for information.

“This is to prevent the collection for documents to be subject to the good will of those asked,” DISY’s spokesman Harris Georgiades said.

Asked whether Polyviou’s investigation would fall under the law given the fact that its proceedings are already underway, Georgiades said that this will be taken up in the House if it emerges as an issue.

“I would expect that if the bill passes before Polyviou’s committee is finished, its report will have to be made public,” Georgiades said.

DISY will ask that the bill be discussed as a matter of urgency.

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