MPs mull bill to increase natural gas decision-makers

A BILL to increase the number of decision-makers dealing with the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbon reserves was discussed by the House Commerce Committee yesterday.

Committee head, Lefteris Christoforou, said the bill, proposed by DISY, EVROKO and MP Zacharias Koulias, would widen the circle of people involved in the decision-making process on gas and oil issues, would boost the existing advisory committee dealing with energy matters and would ensure objectivity.

The move to amend existing legislation follows the recent dispute between Commerce Minister Praxoulla Antoniadou and energy service head Solon Kassinis after she revoked an order that had delegated authority to handle aspects of gas exploration and exploitation to Kassinis and a number of other energy service technocrats.

These powers had been given to the energy service in 2007 to speed up procedures and eliminate time-consuming government decision-making processes. Antoniadou clarified however that the 2007 law on hydrocarbons also gave the commerce minister power to delegate authority to qualified persons to act on her behalf, and what she did was simply to return those powers to her office.

At the committee meeting, DIKO MP Angelos Votsi stressed the need for transparency and the correct management of all matters regarding oil and gas, saying that the bill will ensure both the authority of the commerce minister as well as the head of the energy service on technocratic issues regarding hydrocarbons.

He also said that the proposal attempts to correct what he described as Antoniadou’s erroneous move to remove certain technocratic powers from the energy service.

“DIKO considers that it is part of the process to have the auditor general and the accountant general on the advisory committee, so that all bodies that can ensure transparency, objectivity and the management of such matters will be present to take decisions,” said Votsis.

Christoforou echoed a similar sentiment saying that energy issues do not simply pertain to the economy but are of national sensitivity too, adding that the government must apply transparency, meritocracy and efficiency.

AKEL MP Costas Costa, however, called the bill unconstitutional and argued in that it would take away from the power and authority of the commerce minister.

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