DISY

Political consensus forming over lowering voting age

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Political consensus forming over lowering voting age

A legislative proposal to lower the voting age from eighteen to seventeen in Cyprus has been discussed by the House Interior Affairs Committee. The proposal, tabled by DISY MP Averof Neophytou, has garnered agreement from the government and is seen as technically feasible. If approved, the new voting age would enable an additional 8,680 Greek Cypriots and 78 Turkish Cypriots in the free areas to vote in parliamentary elections, and 746 Turkish Cypriots for European elections. The change, if passed, would be applicable from May 2026. The proposal aligns with a broader pan-European trend to lower voting ages and requires a constitutional amendment. The committee also highlighted the need to address other electoral modernization efforts, such as automatic registration in electoral rolls and postal voting, in a comprehensive manner.

Ethics committee to investigate , €200,000 Olympic Committee sponsorship

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Ethics committee to investigate , €200,000 Olympic Committee sponsorship

The House ethics committee has decided to contact the Treasury regarding a €200,000 sponsorship from OPAP to the Cyprus Olympic Committee (KOE). The committee’s chair, Demetris Demetriou, reported this decision following discussions about KOE’s role and operations. During a meeting, it was revealed that a committee created within KOE after receiving the donation from OPAP was never convened. Furthermore, the €200,000 sum was not included in KOE’s budgets for 2021 and 2022 because it was not directly received by KOE but was used for other purposes such as athlete payments and promotion. The ethics committee seeks further explanations for these funds, including issues related to tax exemption and payment confirmation.

House discusses reining in Attorney-general, ’s powers

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House discusses reining in Attorney-general, ’s powers

The House Institutions committee discussed the possibility of limiting the powers of the Attorney-general in Cyprus following the European Commission’s 2023 report on the rule of law. Attorney-general George Savvides has decided to promote an internal review process for his decisions, which will be conducted by a new team of legal officers. The discussion also addressed the need for the Audit service’s access to information and the prioritization of reviewing the Attorney-general’s role by the justice ministry. The committee highlighted the importance of digitizing the Cypriot justice system and reducing delays in adjudication. A proposed law for a constitutional amendment was mentioned, aiming to separate powers and address issues with the Attorney-general’s decision-making process.

Disy vice-president firm on resignation

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Disy vice-president firm on resignation

Marios Pelekanos, the Vice-President of Disy, has confirmed that his resignation from the party is final. This announcement follows speculation that he might stay on despite his decision to leave after not receiving support from the party to run in the upcoming EU parliamentary elections. Pelekanos clarified that his resignation was not due to the vote of the political bureau for the EU elections but was prompted by behind-the-scenes actions. He lost in the party elections for the EU parliament candidacy, and there were rumors of strategic voting by the party to exclude him. Pelekanos has challenged the party to recount the votes, stating he has no objections. Despite his decision to resign, the Disy leadership has invited him to reconsider, with deputy leader Efthymios Diplaros expressing a desire for Pelekanos to stay. The party leadership is not rushing to close the matter and is not immediately initiating procedures to fill the position of first vice president, giving Pelekanos more time to reconsider his decision.

They’re changing directions, they should change behaviours as well

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They’re changing directions, they should change behaviours as well

The initial finding of the Minister of Energy was a lack of cooperation among public entities managing energy matters. The Minister prioritized restoring cooperation with the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) and efforts were made to improve relationships. However, there were failures in cooperation between the EAC and the Cyprus Energy Regulatory Authority (CERA). The recent change in the board of directors of EAC is expected to improve cooperation. Concerns were raised about the potential influence of the dinner between the Minister, the president of CERA, and the new president of EAC. Unions of EAC targeted the president of CERA, accusing him of causing uproar over potential electricity price increases. The President of the Republic also played a role in the situation by sending a message to the new EAC board to avoid price increases. The unions’ statement did not contribute to rectifying the situation. The column hopes that the Minister’s policy directions for the role of EAC in the green transition and energy security will be adopted by other public players.

ELAM’s ambitions surge amidst turmoil in other parties

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ELAM’s ambitions surge amidst turmoil in other parties

ELAM, a far-right political party in Cyprus, is making bids for control of two major municipalities, Larnaca and Famagusta. MP Soteris Ioannou is running for Larnaca’s mayoral race, while another MP, Linos Papagiannis, is expected to declare his candidacy for Famagusta’s mayoralty. Michalis Michail is also expected to announce his bid for the position of Paphos deputy mayor. ELAM is also preparing for the upcoming European elections and aims to achieve a double-digit percentage. DEPA, another political party, is also preparing for electoral battles and predicts a percentage of 7.5% or higher.

EAC: We will not avoid a 6% increase in tariffs in 2024

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EAC: We will not avoid a 6% increase in tariffs in 2024

The text states that an increase of 6% in electricity prices is necessary to finance investments for upgrading the network. The government will not insist on recovering the costs of 2023, but the 6% increase will still be implemented. The increase translates to approximately 2 cents per kilowatt-hour. The government is considering extending subsidies to alleviate the pressure on consumers. The political parties AKEL and DISY have proposed additional measures to support households and businesses, including taxing the excess profits of energy companies.

Opposition slams president, ’s lack of vision

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Opposition slams president, ’s lack of vision

– President Nikos Christodoulides presented government goals for 2024, outlining a series of 80 points for action.
– Opposition parties responded critically to the presentation, with Akel suggesting the government has previously failed to meet its own standards and Disy accusing the president of repeating previously stated plans.
– Disy noted that the budget passed reflects the actions to be taken in 2024 and includes development projects and implementation of previously voted reforms.
– Disy was partially satisfied with the extension of maternity leave to 22 weeks from the first child, a proposal they supported.
– Disy has also proposed legislative changes to allow voting rights at 17, with proposals tabled since June 1, 2023.
– Finance Minister Makis Keravnos stated that the ministry is prepared to meet the goals set for 2024 and emphasized the importance of moving forward with goals for the benefit of Cyprus.
– The 2024 budget includes a significant primary surplus to support the announced goals and respond to the needs of the Cypriot people within the context of a modern, evolving European country.

Opposition slams president, ’s lack of vision

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Opposition slams president, ’s lack of vision

– President Nikos Christodoulides presented government goals for 2024, outlining a series of 80 points for action.
– Opposition party Akel criticized the government for not achieving previously set high standards and for not presenting anything new beyond the election campaign promises.
– Disy, another opposition party, labeled the president a “copycat” for repeating statements made by ministers during budget presentations and expressed skepticism about the creation of a new vision.
– Disy was pleased with the partial acceptance of their proposal to extend maternity leave to 22 weeks from the first child.
– Disy has submitted recommendations for the budget review, including further support for families with three or more children, and has tabled legislative proposals for voting rights at 17 since June 1, 2023.
– Finance Minister Makis Keravnos stated that his ministry is prepared to meet the goals set by Christodoulides for 2024 and emphasized the importance of moving forward with goals for the benefit of Cyprus.
– The 2024 budget includes a significant primary surplus to support the president’s goals and the country’s obligations as a European nation.

Kasoulidis for DISY: "Let's support the new leadership, the united faction must move forward"

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Kasoulidis for DISY: "Let's support the new leadership, the united faction must move forward"

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and historical member of DISY, Ioannis Kasoulides, stated that the new leadership of DISY should be supported and stood by. He made this statement in relation to the internal reactions that have occurred recently regarding the candidacy of Kostakis Konstantinou for the presidency of the District Administration of Paphos. Kasoulides emphasized that DISY was founded to represent the majority of the center-right in Cyprus and should continue its historical path. He also stressed the importance of the upcoming elections in June as a challenge for the current leadership and its supporters to restore the party's former glory. Kasoulides urged the party members to accept the rules established by the collective bodies and emphasized the right of voters to determine their own criteria for decision-making. He concluded by stating that the supporters and voters would ultimately be the final judges.