The debate on AKEL’s Bill proposal for a law to criminalise bullying has begun

Statement by AKEL MP Andreas Pasiourtides after the meeting of the Parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee

11 May 2022

The World Health Organisation characterises the phenomenon of bullying as a major public health problem.

As you know, as AKEL we have undertaken an initiative in recent months to raise awareness in society, but also for the formulation a modern comprehensive legislation regarding the phenomenon of bullying.

Today in the Legal Affairs Committee we discussed for the first time the AKEL Bill proposal for a law on the criminalisation of bullying. We should clarify that the proposal concerns all forms of bullying. Bullying at school, bullying in sport, in the army, in the security forces, at the workplace, in the family and in society in general.

On behalf of my Party, I would like to thank all the organisations/associations who have attended and expressed their views. All of them, without exception, agree with this initiative and its purpose. Through the discussion in the sessions to follow and through the positions of experts, but also of social groups, guilds and individuals who want to help, we shall try to formulate a text so that the phenomenon of bullying is criminalised.

We will try to make our own contribution in the fight against this phenomenon which in recent years has taken on alarming proportions, both globally and in Cyprus too. Our aim is that no one in the future should be in danger, either their life, dignity or health, from such phenomena and that no one should be driven to social isolation because of them.