As many as 16 bills to be sent to Supreme Court by Palace

The president is looking to refer 16 bills to the Supreme Court and send two back to parliament because they were deemed problematic, it emerged on Tuesday.

Most were found to include some provisions that clash with the constitution while others were entirely unconstitutional, a source in the Legal Service said.

The service is working around the clock to study a stack of bills passed by parliament on April 14, its last day before dissolving ahead of the elections on May 22.

Attorney-general Costas Clerides had criticised MPs of being sloppy and irresponsible.

Opposition parties especially insisted on passing two bills despite warnings that they were probably unconstitutional.

One provided for offsetting loans with bank bonds, and one for the participation of bailed-in depositors on the lender’s board.

Ruling DISY accused them of populism.

Other bills were passed with last-minute additions that were also likely to be in conflict with the constitution.

“This is what I want to especially castigate; this sloppiness exhibited by parliament and lack of responsibility to include last-minute provisions that had not been adequately discussed,” Clerides said last week.

 

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