Parliament on Thursday rejected a draft motion submitted by AKEL calling for the disclosure of donor details linked to the Independent Social Support Agency Fund.
The motion, which sought to grant the competent parliamentary committee access to such information, was voted down with 19 MPs against, 15 in favour.
The body has been in the spotlight since the emergence of the videogate scandal, where a video of unknown origin purportedly showed former minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis advising potential investors to donate money to the Support Agency so as to fast-track business ventures.
Up until the scandal, the body was headed by the First Lady, after she eventually stepped down.
The scandal sparked MPs to demand transparency over donors, to assess conflicts of interest.
Key information withheld
During Thursday's parliamentary debate, independent MP Irene Charalambidou argued that the proposal was based on factual evidence and accused both the Law Office of the Republic of Cyprus and the Data Protection Commissioner of restricting parliamentary oversight. She claimed that information was being withheld regarding companies that contribute to the body while simultaneously receiving state contracts worth millions. She stressed that the data was being requested for scrutiny by parliament, not for public release.
Chrisis Pantelides of Democratic Party (DIKO) expressed support in principle for transparency but opposed the resolution. He argued that parliament should not act declaratively or issue resolutions whenever it disagrees with court rulings, warning that such practices could undermine its institutional role.
House role reduced to 'decoration'
AKEL MP Andreas Pasiourtides described the situation as a “dangerous development”, alleging that the government and legal authorities were attempting to reduce parliament to a “decorative element” by refusing to provide information within the framework of parliamentary scrutiny.
Independent socialist MP Costis Efstathiou said state social policy is often implemented in a fragmented manner, with reliance on private initiatives and citizens. He argued that, in cases such as charitable fundraising efforts, the state fails to fully meet its obligations and shifts responsibility elsewhere. He supported the resolution, describing oversight as a fundamental pillar of democratic balance.
Independent MP Alexandra Attalides said a recent court ruling did not prohibit the submission of classified information to parliament, even if it restricted public disclosure. She accused the government of resisting accountability and transparency, and called for a full investigation into the fund’s operations over the past three years, stressing that democracy requires accountability and respect for institutions.
MPs opposed to motion
Christiana Erotokritou of DIKO defended the Supreme Court of Cyprus, noting that it had already ruled a related law unconstitutional. She stressed that court decisions must be respected and raised concerns about parliament adopting practices that could circumvent such rulings.
DIKO MP Pavlos Mylonas highlighted the role of charitable initiatives in covering gaps in state welfare, pointing in particular to fundraising campaigns such as the Radiomarathon, and cautioned against undermining their contribution.
AKEL MP Giorgos Loukaides said parliament has previously taken political decisions and sought accountability in major cases, clarifying that the request concerned confidential submission of data to the Institutions Committee rather than public disclosure. He expressed disappointment at the continued refusal to provide the information.
From Democratic Rally (DISY), Nikos Tornaritis said his party had already taken legislative action on the matter by submitting a bill, rather than issuing political statements. He criticised the resolution as ineffective and accused AKEL of using it for pre-election purposes.
DISY MP Harris Georgiades said he had initially been inclined to support the motion but ultimately decided to vote against it.
Source: CNA