PRESIDENT Demetris Christofias will appoint a new Board of Directors for the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority when he is ready, the Government Spokesman announced yesterday.
Speaking after yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, Stefanos Stefanou said that in contrast to popular belief the President and his ministers had not discussed the matter, “When the President is ready, he will take his decision to the Cabinet and we will announce it,” said Stefanou.
He brushed aside reports claiming Christofias was leaning towards appointing the same CyTA chairman – Stathis Kittis – along with a number of the other members that quit the Board earlier in the week.
“Every time there is an issue, whether it is called the CyTA Board of Directors or something else, a lot is said and written,” said Stefanou. “When the government and the cabinet are ready, we will announce the decisions.”
When a reporter insisted that the rumour mill was in overdrive over Christofias’ alleged intentions to re-appoint Kittis and seven other board members, Stefanou said: “I think I was clear; I cannot comment on information or publications. We will await the decision and you can ask me the question and I will respond specifically.6
The semi-state organisation’s leadership was thrown into disarray on Monday, after its entire Board handed letters of resignation to the President, which were accepted.
The first to stand down was Stelios Amerikanos last Friday, who was followed by CyTA Vice-Chairman Loizos Papacharalambous at midday on Monday. By early afternoon and following a 15-minute meeting, Kittis and the remaining seven board members followed suit.
The resignations followed a wave of allegations made by different Board members against each other, regarding the illegal sale of phone cards and double dealing in the bidding for a digital platform.
Asked yesterday if President Christofias planned to take “cleansing measures” for the Authority, Stefanou said Christofias had a long-standing position when it came to semi-state organisations: “They should operate with transparency and they must operate in a way that combats any form of corruption.”
“These are the orders; but we won’t rush ahead and judge or condemn anyone,” Stefanou added. “We must be a little careful, as often – like with the case of CyTA – many things are said. Who is responsible each time of judging or condemning? We will do it publicly? Will we do it through the media?”
He said there were procedures that needed to be followed in order to fight corruption. “We must act with determination, but at the same time, there are procedures a state has to follow and which we have to abide by.”
Stefanou explained that the President of the Republic appoints the Chairman, Vice-Chairman and board members of semi-state organisations; however, he doesn’t have the right to fire them, which is because of the organisation’s autonomy.
Meanwhile, citing sources last night, the CyBC said new developments on the matter should be expected by the end of this week.
The same sources claimed that the delays in appointing a new Board were down to disagreements between the government and coalition DIKO.
DIKO leader Marios Garoyian made his party’s position clear on a CyBC programme yesterday: “Our view is that from the moment that all the members resigned, a radical change is needed.”
