By Martin Hellicar
THE OPENING session of the House plenum’s three-day budget debate took on a distinct pre-election character yesterday afternoon.
Party leaders – depending on their affiliations for next month’s presidential elections – took their turns on the podium to either praise or slam the record of the Clerides government. The Cyprus problem, rather than the 1998 budget, was the main focus for the addresses.
Disy leader Nicos Anastassiades, whose party is backing Clerides’ re- election bid, said the president’s foreign policy had brought tangible results – the reinforcement of the Common Defence Dogma with Greece, the start of EU accession talks and the “internationalisation” of the Cyprus problem.
On the economy, he said spending on health, education, culture and sport had been increased by more than 70 per cent, and six times more had been spent supporting industry than under the previous government.
Demetris Christofias, whose party Akel is backing former Foreign Minister George Iacovou in February, rejected Anastassiades’ claims. He described 1997 as a year of “serious backsliding on the Cyprus problem, bringing us close to permanent division”. He said he did not believe a post-election US initiative for a settlement – much touted by Clerides and Disy – would materialise.
He also slammed the government’s economic record: “Clerides inherited a healthy economy and is handing over a destitute economy with a whole series of problems,” he said.
During the five years of Clerides government, Christofias said, wages had come down in real terms, public debt had doubled, and bankruptcies had increased threefold. The Akel leader described the government’s handling of the economy as “amateur”.
Diko parliamentary spokesman Tassos Papadopoulos chose the middle ground. Diko is also backing Iacovou, after recently abandoning a coalition with Disy which got Clerides elected five years ago.
Papadopoulos said he did not feel sure the US would ever exercise the pressure on Turkey that he said was necessary for a settlement. He also said the truth about the economy was “somewhere between the rosy picture presented by some and the edge of disaster scenario presented by others”.
The attacks on the government’s Cyprus problem and economic policies were then resumed by both Edek leader Vassos Lyssarides and United Democrats chief George Vassiliou – both standing as a presidential candidates with the support of their own parties.
The debate continues with all-day sessions today and tomorrow before deputies vote on the budgets, which are expected to be approved.
