On Thursday, the Plenary Session of Parliament rejected the government’s request to consider, under the urgent procedure, the bill for a six-month extension of the term of office of the Deputy Minister for EuropeanEuropean Affairs, Marilena Raouna, meaning that immediate debate on the bill will not proceed. The request was rejected by a vote of 34 against and 17 in favor.

During the debate, the Members of Parliament who opposed the urgent motion argued that this is an issue requiring thorough consideration and does not warrant expedited action, while those who supported it emphasized the need to ensure the continuity of Cyprus’s presence in the European “Troika” following the conclusion of Cyprus’s Presidency of the Council of the EU.

DISY Parliamentary Spokesperson Dimitris Dimitriou stated that there are issues that cannot be decided “in a few minutes,” noting that the six-month extension of the Deputy Minister’s term cannot be treated as an urgent matter but must be discussed without time pressure and with a full understanding of the situation.

Eirini Charalambidou, a Member of Parliament for “Alma – Citizens for Cyprus,” described the urgency as a “surprise,” saying that the government had been aware of the issue for some time and could have submitted the bill in a timely manner to allow the parties the necessary time to take a position. She added that the President of the Republic’s references to the creation of a Deputy Ministry of European Affairs raise, as she put it, “a huge constitutional issue,” and expressed her party’s opposition to the urgent procedure.

AKEL Parliamentary Spokesperson Giorgos Loukaidis said that the House of Representatives must have the necessary time to examine the reasons cited by the executive branch for the extension. He recalled that the government had initially planned for an extension of only one month following the end of the Cypriot Presidency, as had been the case with Andreas Mavroyiannis in 2012, and questioned whether the new proposal is linked to an intention to create a permanent Deputy Ministry of European Affairs. At the same time, she argued that the expansion of the Deputy Ministries and issues of constitutionality should be discussed within a clear institutional framework.

In contrast, Diana Konstantinidi, a member of parliament for Direct Democracy, stated that she agrees with the urgent consideration of the bill, acknowledging, however, that the executive branch should have prepared the matter earlier. She argued that the extension is necessary to complete the negotiations and allow the Deputy Minister to continue her work, describing the urgent procedure as justified.

DIKO MP Christiana Erotokritou also supported the urgent procedure, noting that, although the government should have submitted the bill earlier, every EU Council Presidency operates within the framework of the “Troika,” that is, in cooperation with the previous and next presiding countries. He noted that, following the successful Cypriot presidency and in light of important issues on the European agenda—including matters concerning Turkey— a six-month extension would allow the Republic of Cyprus to maintain its influence on the process.

ELAM Parliamentary Spokesperson Sotiris Ioannou also spoke in favor of the urgency motion, who noted that any delay would render the bill moot, while pointing out that the discussion on establishing a permanent Deputy Ministry could take place at a later stage.

In her rebuttal, Ms. Charalambidou argued that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can handle European affairs without requiring an extension of the Deputy Minister’s term.

Mr. Dimitriou responded by saying that, despite the successful Cypriot presidency, this does not justify extending the term without a substantive discussion. He added that the relevant ministers represent Cyprus in the EU Councils of Ministers, while noting that participation in the Troika has been a well-established procedure for years.

Mr. Loukaidis wondered what new development had arisen to warrant a request for an extension until the end of the year, since it was known from the outset that Cyprus would participate in the Troika’s work even after the end of its Presidency. He also questioned why a relevant proposal had not been submitted from the outset and reiterated the question of whether the government’s initiative is linked to plans for a permanent Deputy Ministry of European Affairs.

Concluding the debate, Ms. Erotokritou noted that the fact that only a monthly extension was granted 14 years ago does not mean that a different need does not exist today. She added that, while it is the House’s right not to approve the extension, however, DIKO believes that it is in the interest of the Republic of Cyprus to continue to draw on the Deputy Minister’s experience and knowledge of European affairs during the country’s participation in the Troika.

Source: CNA