MEP Papadakis refuses to attend Edek disciplinary hearing

MEMBER of the European Parliament (MEP) for socialist Edek, Demetris Papadakis is facing a potential ouster from the as charges have been brought against him for alleged disloyalty, he said at a press conference on Saturday ahead of disciplinary hearing he refused to attend.

Papadakis accused party leader Marinos Sizopoulos of divisive practices within the ranks.

“There has been an unprecedented war against me,” he said. He added that members from Sizopoulos’ close circle had been spreading lies and defaming him.

Papadakis called on Sizopoulos to withdraw his complaints and to bring in disenfranchised party member so that Edek could again be made whole.

Firing back, Sizopoulos said he decided to file the complaint against Papadakis, “when I determined there was absolutely no way to work together despite my repeated attempts made in good faith.”

He said this led him to inform the party officials and the disciplinary committee to investigate.

Sizopoulos said all of his actions were done according to party rules and the disciplinary committee had ruled unanimously that Papadakis should answer the allegations. Sizopoulos said the committee was not under his control.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.