Reshuffle anticipated in semi-governmental organisations

THE GOVERNMENT yesterday put off announcing the names of the 22 new semi-government boards until Monday but by last night some of the names had already leaked out.

According to state television CyBC, at least three of the organisations would have new chairmen, its own, the Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) and the Cyprus Theatre Organisation (THOK).

CyBC said its current chairman, ex-Defence Minister Andreas Aloneftis would be replaced by former Finance and Labour Minister Makis Keravnos.

CTO, which has not had a chairman since a recent cabinet reshuffle moved Photis Photiou to the post of Agriculture Minister, is set to have Panos Englezos as the new chairman, CyBC said.

The third new chairman, for THOK, is expected to be Demetris Karayiannis who will replace George Neophytou.

CyBC also said the future of Charilaos Stavrakis, the chairman of the Electricity Authority of Cyprus was not clear.

The station said that remaining in their positions would be CyTA chairman Stavros Kremmos, the chairman of the Cyprus Sports Organisation (KOA) Titos Christofides, the chairman of the State Fairs Authority Loris Tryfonos and the chairman of the Cyprus Ports Authority Chrisis Prentzas.

After the four-hour cabinet meeting yesterday where ministers agreed on the changes, government spokesman Christodoulos Pashardis said the names were not being released until everyone had been informed.

He said the fact that there were 22 organisations meant this would take some time and that the government did not want the nominees and those that would be leaving their positions to hear it from the media.

Pashardis said the cabinet’s choices were unanimous and that there had not been any clashes among the ministers.

Asked if any members of opposition DISY had been appointed to the new boards, Pashardis said they had.

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.