Statement by Yiorgos Loukaides, Parliamentary Spokesperson of AKEL-Left-New Forces, on DISY’s draft bill for the celebration of
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 22nd March 2017, Nicosia
This discussion would have been avoided had AKEL been headed and had the provocative amendment supported by those forces who remain nostalgic of Enosis, Grivas’ ideas and actions and of EOKA B been rejected. Unfortunately AKEL’s views weren’t heeded, as a result of which for a whole month enormous damage has been caused to the efforts to solve the Cyprus problem. I’m not going to refer in our statement today about how we got to this point and to apportion responsibilities that exist for the fact that negotiations have been suspended.
We have before us a specific draft bill tabled by DISY party. AKEL has always had, and still maintains, reservations about handing to the given Government the right to take decisions through decrees on specific issues. And in this case too we maintain exactly the same reservation. The special conditions, however, on this specific issue, have led us to decide to support the amendment tabled by DISY so as to facilitate the efforts aiming at the resumption of the negotiations, which have been suspended. We fully comprehend that without negotiations neither can there be any perspective, nor even any hope for a solution of the Cyprus problem or the reunification and liberation of our homeland.
Therefore, we will not in any way participate in the attempt, possibly of certain circles and forces to lead developments to the discontinuation of the negotiations – from wherever they may come from those who are – possibly – seeking to achieve such a development. Instead, we shall continue the effort, as we have been doing from the very beginning, for the negotiation procedure to be put back on track again. It is within this context that AKEL’s decision to support the amendment of the Democratic Rally party should be seen.
One last thing. We will follow the implementation of this decision, given – of course – that it will get the support of the majority of the House of Representatives.
If and provided that we observe that the respective Ministers or any Minister acts arbitrarily, the House has the right to remove the right from the relevant Minister to decide by decree about this category of celebrations in schools.
