The budget vote avoids a great adventure that would bring financial instability to the country, said DISY President Averof Neophytou, calling on everyone to work together on the pandemic, the economy, the Cyprus issue and the fight against corruption.
He thanked the parties that, although they belong to the opposition, although they disagree with policies, “vote for society, vote for the country.”
“Today the budget is being voted on,” said Mr. Neophytou. “We are avoiding, he said, a great adventure that would bring financial instability to the place.” He said there are four major national issues, the pandemic, the economy, the Cyprus issue and corruption and entanglement, noting that “we all need to help”.
Because if there are health risks, said the President of DISY “it is for both the left and the right”, to add that “we all need cooperation, to face these risks and the possibility of a third wave”. To prepare properly, but also by accelerating vaccinations, to reopen the economy with the support of the state.
For almost a year, the global economy froze, but also in Cyprus. And when something freezes it needs heating to thaw and heating is the support of the state. It has been important to date, one of the most important in all of Europe. But we supported employees. Now, with the 2nd package, SMEs are supported as well as the previous time with 100 million. we owe, we owe and we owe to overcome, we are the only country in the eurozone that does not have the plan for guaranteed loans.
Regarding the Cyprus issue, Mr. Neophytou said that at the end of February we will go to the five-party. We need unity from all regardless of the views we have. And this time, he said, “I estimate it will not be a process that will take years. “We will be called to make serious decisions for our country and we need the minimum unity between us”, noted the President of DISY.
As for corruption, he said that “we will never solve it if the only thing that prevails every day is to prove who is more corrupt than the other.” “Government, legislature, independent institutions, all together to find ways and establish rules of transparency. To establish the necessary and together with justice to fight the entanglement and to create better conditions “, he added.
Averof Neophytou appealed to the two independent institutions, the Attorney General and the Auditor General, “to find appropriate ways to resolve the issue.”
I declare as DISY, he said, that “we have no problem for anyone to grab the files and do any check”. “If they do not find them, let them finally go together to the Supreme Court to judge what is the appropriate way. “Enough, this toxic climate can no longer be poisoned at the moment when the cooperation with the Supreme Court can be resolved in the end”, he added.
Report on an incident with the Police under Christofias and clarification by AKEL
During his speech, Mr. Neophytou, commenting on reports of an incident that arose from a complaint by the Minister of Justice Emilys Giolitis for reports on a social network account, referred to an incident during the government of Dimitris Christofias.
“Of course we politicians must be tolerant of any criticism and we must exceed the limits of our tolerance. We stated it and we repeat it, but a party that in “Christofiaswatch”, where at that time there was not even a falsification with a false profile, only a simple satire and criticism, to the lawyer Xeni Xenofontos, at 6 in the morning, with the baby, booked [SS the Police] with instructions and complaints of the then President of the Republic, not the Minister. “A little modesty does not matter when you take lessons in democracy and censorship from this step”, said the President of DISY.
When, he continued, “you are the party with dozens of your executives who were silenced because they expressed their opinion”. When, he added, “there is a colleague in this room, who despite the roller of AKEL remained politically alive”, he said, adding that he refers to G. Lillikas. When, said Mr. Neophytou, “he dared to have an opinion to say from the most official lips that the 'AKEL roller will destroy you'”. You are the ones who are teaching us lessons today. We accept them and if we have mistakes we will correct them, he said.
AKEL MP Stefanos Stefanou clarified after the report of the President of DISY Averof Neophytou about the entry of the Police in the house of a lawyer. Mr. Stefanou clarified that the complaint to the Police at that time was not made by Dimitris Christofias but by the journalist Makarios Drousiotis, for a specific report on the website that concerned him. “Dimitris Christofias never complained to anyone about this incident,” said Mr. Stefanou.
“If Mr. Stefanou, as he has assured here in the body, is not President Christofias who made the complaint, I accept it,” said Mr. Neophytou.
The state budget of 2021 was approved with 29 votes in favor and 26 against
Nikos Anastasiadis thanked parties for the vote on the state budget
