The government’s silence on the President’s second trip to the Seychelles shows the seriousness of the issue

Statement by AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Stefanos Stefanou

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 26th May 2020, Nicosia

The issue of the President’s second trip to the Seychelles with a private jet is a very serious issue. It is a matter of transparency, good governance and political ethics that should characterize any government.

In well-governed countries, issues of a similar nature have led to resignations. In Cyprus, the government wants the whole matter to be forgotten, as it has also tried to do with issues related to interwoven interests and corruption, for which Cyprus has made a reputation for itself internationally during the period of the Anastasiades-DISY government.

The government’s complete silence on the issue and its agonising efforts, in cooperation with the majority of its friendly mass media, to close the issue before society was aware of it, shows how serious it is.

When, by chance, the family recreation trip with a private jet to the Seychelles in 2018 was revealed, the President took four whole months to give reply and the President mumbled a supposed apology.

With regards the trip to the Seychelles in 2015, when will the Presidential Palace give n answer? When will the government spokesman come out and say something, as he does on all the other issues? When will the Minister of the Interior come out to disprove what he said to the Parliamentary Audit Committee on the matter? They should come out and at least say that the opposition isn’t right. Dare they?

Since we know that the government is never going to tell the truth, that’s precisely why we shall call for the debate in the Parliamentary Audit Committee to continue.