The operation to alter the election result must be investigated now – not after the elections

 

20 April 2024, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

The Interior Ministry said that of the 3.500 objections received to the supplementary electoral rolls, 41% were upheld. At the same time, the Director General of the Ministry admitted that there are indications that parties and candidates are involved in false declarations of place of residence, which adds to the recent complaints made by the [AKEL] Mayor of the Municipality of Lakatamia Fotoula Hatzipapa about an organized attempt to tamper with the electoral body by transferring voters who do not reside in Lakatamia.

What is unfolding constitutes an operation to alter the election result and organised falsification of the democratic will of the voters, phenomena and practices unprecedented in the political history of our country. It is unacceptable for the government and the Ministry of the Interior to say that this will be examined after the elections.

The Ministry must immediately proceed with ex officio investigation and the Police must carry out and complete investigations as soon as possible, so that those responsible are brought to justice.

We also call on the Attorney General to intervene with the Police and the relevant state agencies immediately and not after the elections. Before going to the ballot box, citizens deserve to know who is not respecting the basic principles of democracy and the integrity of the electoral process.

AKEL has already registered this extremely serious issue for debate in the House of Representatives.