Committee blasts no-show ministers

By Bouli Hadjioannou

TWO DIKO ministers, in limbo after their party told them to withdraw from the Clerides government, did not show up at yesterday’s House Finance Committee’s meeting to discuss their ministries’ budgets for 1998.

Their absence drew fire from some deputies, with Akel’s Kikis Kazamias speaking of possible contempt of the House.

Commerce and Industry Minister Kyriakos Christofi was scheduled to appear before the committee at 9am. Dinos Moushouttas, his counterpart at the Labour Ministry, was due at 11.30.

Both are among the five Diko ministers to have submitted their resignations to President Clerides. Diko president Spyros Kyprianou has demanded that all five leave the government immediately.

The committee tried to get in touch with both men, only to be told they would not be coming. It then decided to postpone examination of the two budgets until new ministers are appointed.

But this decision was not taken until after some deputies had voiced concern over developments.

Committee chairman Alexis Galanos, who is also in Diko, said he did not want to criticise anyone because he appreciated the two men had come under pressure not to attend.

But he said ministers were members of the Clerides government and should not be subject to pressure. “I appreciate it is because of the climate: I do not blame them – it’s not their fault,” he said.

And he said party concerns should not affect responsibilities arising from holding a public position.

Akel deputy was Kikis Kazamias was more blunt: he said that as long as they retained the position of minister, failure to turn up to the committee meeting “could be considered contempt of the House of Representatives”.

And he added: “They asked us to examine the most important bill sent to the House but they are absent,” he said.

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