Expelled deputies forced to abandon party bench in parliament

TWO deputies expelled from DISY on Wednesday yesterday had to abandon the party’s bench in the plenum and move to new separate seats.

Prodromos Prodromou and Rikkos Erotocritou were expelled by the party’s political bureau for divisive behaviour in the run-up to the April 24 referendum.

The two deputies openly challenged the party’s decision to support the ‘yes’ vote in the referendum, with Prodromou even announcing a separate candidate list to contest the June 13 Euro elections.

After the official announcement of the expulsion in the plenum, DIKO deputy Nicos Pittokopitis offered the two deputies two of his party’s front-row seats in recognition of their contribution to Parliament.

Prodromou thanked Pittokopitis, but declined the offer saying it was not the seat that defined someone’s parliamentary contribution.

Erotocritou echoed Prodromou, adding that symbols had no meaning: “We are all equal irrespective of the seat we take.”

Asked later on whether his action had been an invitation to the two deputies to join DIKO, Pittokopitis said it was a “clearly humane approach to the issue and in no way was it an invitation to join DIKO”.

It remains to be seen who will replace Prodromou as chairman of the House Education Committee and which DISY deputies will fill the pair’s seats in the other parliamentary committees.

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