A NEW row erupted yesterday between New Horizons leader Nicos Koutsou and Government Spokesman Michalis Papapetrou.
The two men sparred only two weeks ago over alleged ‘superpowers’ granted by the Cabinet to the island’s chief EU negotiator, George Vassiliou.
Vassiliou heads the minority United Democrats (UD) party, of which Papapetrou is also a member. UD opponents believe the party is gaining too much power within the government.
Yesterday, Koutsou accused those UD members in the government, and particularly Papapetrou, of being "stowaways in power".
Responding to comments by Papapetrou the previous day criticising opponents of a federal solution to the Cyprus problem, Koutsou suggested the UD was trying to muzzle anyone who spoke out against a federation.
"The Vassiliou team has taken it upon themselves to wreck the political climate and put labels on people," Koutsou said yesterday.
He said that Papapetrou, "who expresses the government’s attitude, has stepped out of line many times" calling the Bishop of Kyrenia ignorant of history and accusing all those who disagree with federation of being with Turkish Cypriot leader Rauf Denktash.
"And now they want the political isolation of those who disagree," Koutsou added. "How is he going to isolate the majority of citizens who, in polls that so annoy Mr Papapetrou, are against a federation."
Koutsou went on to suggest that Papapetrou might want to set up prison camps for political opponents and penalise political dissidents.
"Mr Vassiliou and his firm should never forget they are only stowaways in power," he said.
Papapetrou’s response was swift.
"For Mr Koutsou to talk about muzzling and concentration camps and lack of democracy is an underestimation of the intelligence of the public. The Cypriot people know Koutsou and Papapetrou and can make their own judgements," Papapetrou said.
The government spokesman said what he had been talking about was need to isolate views that were damaging for the country.
"But I had stressed that Mr Koutsou and anyone else had the right to speak their minds freely," he said.
Papapetrou also rejected accusations by Koutsou that President Clerides was creating new definitions of the term federation.
"The line followed by the President has been approved by the decisions of the National Council," he said.
