OVER €1 billion collected in taxes for Cyprus’ defence has been spent elsewhere, deputies heard yesterday during discussions on the defence ministry’s 2011 budget.
The matter was raised by DISY MP, and former defence minister Socrates Hasikos at the House Finance Committee.
“Over the years, more than one billion euros of Cypriot taxpayers’ money, even though it was collected for the state’s defence, was never used for this purpose,” said Hasikos after the meeting. “It was taken by successive governments and spent on other things such as plugging budgetary holes.”
Hasikos called for a legal amendment that would put an end to “this illegality”. “Or someone must courageously tell the Cypriot people that this money is used for other reasons,” he said.
The DISY deputy also raised the matter of military cooperation with Greece, which he said could be done based on the Lisbon Treaty, which offers EU member states the right to develop defensive agreements with other member states, carry out joint military exercises.
“This ability is an opportunity for Cyprus, so that the connection between Cyprus and Greece can include defensive cooperation,” said Hasikos.
But he added that the government was ignorant of this, despite the Greek defence minister stating twice that this was a great chance for Cyprus and Greece. “But the government neither saw nor heard of this provision,” said Hasikos.
He added that ministry spokesmen had failed to offer satisfactory responses to his suggestions but had committed to return to parliament with specific answers.
Speaking after the meeting, acting Defence Minister Christos Patsalides said the ministry’s budget took into consideration the current economic climate.
“But we can’t forget that Cyprus is a semi-occupied state and we can’t forget that the defence and National Guard are of vital importance to our state,” said Patsalides. “The budget’s aim is to maintain our fighting ability to the maximum as well as its operational facilities.”
Committee Chairman, DIKO’s Nicolas Papadopoulos, said the ministry’s budget was roughly at the same level as last year’s, around €361 million, and added that the state’s defence should be at the top of the government’s list of priorities.
“We can’t continue to survive on this island if we don’t have a NG that is ready for battle,” he said. Papadopoulos added that this year’s budget had seen an 8.7 per cent reduction (around €10 million) in funds for defence, when they should have been increased.
