Neophytou: I had nothing to do with Helios

FORMER communications minister Averoff Neophytou yesterday denied he had any link with Helios Airways or its parent company Libra, as the argument over blame for the crash went into full swing yesterday.

Neophytou also took a shot at current minister Haris Thrasou, suggesting that he should have already resigned.

Speaking at a news conference held by opposition DISY yesterday, Neophytou, whose name had been linked to Helios, insisted that he had no relation, direct or indirect, with Helios or the Libra group of companies, which owns the airline.
Neophytou added that he would have resigned his office if the accident had taken place during his term.

The former minister said he assumed office on August 25, 1999, around a year after Helios was created.

The airline applied for a licence on December 16, 1998, and after being rejected the following March, it re-applied and secured a permit from the independent air transport licensing authority on May 13, 1999.

Helios at the time had only one aircraft, which underwent all necessary checks from the civil aviation department – something, which also had to be done when it acquired its other planes, including the fatal Boeing that joined the company’s fleet in April 2004, Neophytou said.

He censured the civil aviation department for “not carrying out the necessary checks on the specific plane” and accused the government of not bringing the department up to European standards.

DISY chief Nicos Anastassiades demanded the immediate appointment of independent criminal investigators to look into the matter, as the ongoing police investigation was inadequate.

“Especially from the moment that the police, according to its leadership, did not have the specialised experience, know-how and experts, and had to consult with the experts of the Department of Civil Aviation,” Anastassiades added.

He said the government should ask the EU to appoint a special investigating committee tasked with looking into the Department of Civil Aviation.

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