NEW ministers of Interior and Commerce were sworn in yesterday under the shadow of the ongoing spat between the government and outgoing minister Praxoulla Antoniadou.
President Demetris Christofias yesterday welcomed former Interior Minister Neoclis Sylikiotis to his new position replacing Antoniadou as Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism, along with former Nicosia Mayor Eleni Mavrou, who replaces Sylikiotis.
The president spoke of a “renewal” of cabinet, giving it the required impetus to continue the government’s work smoothly and effectively.
He thanked Antoniadou for her work, adding: “I want to emphasise that the government works collectively as a team with the sole aim of implementing the government programme. Our collective discussions, decision-taking and implementation of those decisions do not allow room for personal policies.”
The latter reference was clearly meant for Antoniadou. When news of a cabinet reshuffle broke last week, Antoniadou quickly denied she had resigned, contrary to the government’s suggestion, hinting that the president had been misled by his associates.
Government spokesman Stefanos Stefanou then published a letter sent by Christofias on March 14 referring to her oral resignation but Antoniadou still insisted she never resigned, indicating she was given the boot.
The outgoing minister made controversial comments that she had to work under adverse conditions, was continually undermined and pressured by her colleagues to go against the president’s policies on golf courses and Noble Energy, the US company with a Cypriot offshore concession. Some news reports suggested the colleague she was referring to was her successor.
Stefanou yesterday said her claims were “groundless”, and that the matter was closed for the government.
At a rather tense handing over ceremony at the commerce ministry yesterday, Antoniadou called Sylikiotis a “super minister”.
She listed her accomplishments in the last seven and a half months, concluding now was the time to enjoy the fruit of the harvest.
Passing on two sealed files, she said: “Allow me to give a tangible example of our work these past seven and a half months.”
The files were the results of the latest drilling tests in Block 12 by Noble Energy, and the result of the disciplinary inquiry into Energy Service director Solon Kassinis.
Antoniadou and Kassinis were at loggerheads over the extent of the latter’s powers from almost the moment she took over the ministry. Recent reports suggest Kassinis was cleared of any wrongdoing in the report.
Passing on the Kassinis report, she told her successor: “Because you said that your aim is to always have good relations with colleagues, I’ll let you solve in your own way problems which you may feel you have inherited.”
She added, possibly with a tinge of irony, that the report will be left “in the hands of people who can handle it better”.
“And so we empty Praxoulla’s bag,” she added, holding up her bag.
The outgoing minister also had some literal words to say about her office’s shortcomings.
“I entered a ministerial office that had no computer, fax or safe and still does not have soundproofing. We have equipped it for the new minister with a fax, a safe and I hope he’ll do something about the soundproofing,” she said.
On a parting note, Antoniadou said the commerce ministry was the only ministry in the history of the Republic where for a short time “two women held the wheel and that is not easily accepted”, the other woman being the permanent secretary Zeta Emilianidou.
“It’s my personal opinion and experience that unfortunately the state is unable to accept women in policy-making positions. We still have some way ahead of us.”
All opposition parties yesterday called for greater transparency and clarity over the circumstances of Antoniadou’s departure as well as her claims about coming under pressure during her work.
