House approves anti-graft bill Martin Hellicar

THE HOUSE of Representatives plenum has approved a controversial anti-corruption bill that will force all politicians and many other public figures to declare their assets.The aim of the new law, first proposed a decade ago, is to prevent cabinet members, deputies and others from abusing their position for personal financial gain. It stipulates that the assets of the public figures concerned will be published in full in the government gazette.The bill was passed yesterday evening by 26 votes for and four against after a marathon four-hour debate. After concluding a general discussion on the bill begun last week, deputies debated and voted on no fewer than 19 separate amendments to the proposed law before finally passing it.Most speakers agreed the law was a ‘necessary evil’ if public concern about corruption in high places was to be addressed. The persistent unlawful enrichment allegations which recently forced Dinos Michaelides to resign as Interior Minister have heightened public mistrust of politicians.Disy deputy Prodromos Prodromou said Michaelides had been “unjustly” targeted.The amended new law covers not just politicians but also judges, directors of Ministries and semi-governmental organisations, the governor of the central bank and other top figures — but not civil servants. Those liable will have to declare not just their own wealth but also that of their spouse and dependants.Many deputies expressed concern that the publicising of assets could lead to a ‘media circus’. One of the eleventh hour amendments approved last night was that media bosses — including the editors and publishers of newspapers and magazines — be put on the list of accountable persons.Those concerned will have to declare their wealth to a specially appointed five-member watchdog body within three months of taking up an appointment. They will have to make a fresh statement after every three years in a position, and three months after leaving the post.Incumbent public figures are also accountable and the law is also retroactive from independence (1960). Former public figures will only have to declare their assets if a specific request is made to the Auditor- general.Opponents of the bill said it contained blatantly unconstitutional provisions and would prove totally unworkable.”This body knows full well that this law is unconstitutional and has only approved it under pressure from the media,” Disy deputy Socratis Hasikos said, explaining why he had voted against.The vote on the anti-graft bill had been postponed several times for various reasons, prompting widespread media speculation that deputies were trying to avoid passing the law.Yesterday’s debate was often good-humoured but at other times bad-tempered, with acting House president Nicos Anastassiades struggling in vain to speed up procedure by asking deputies to limit the length of their speeches.

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