Authoritarian behaviour by MPs, a lack of respect towards employees and incidents of bullying are among the complaints raised by staff of the House of Representatives. The employees’ letter to House President Annita Demetriouis expected to be discussed at the next meeting of party leaders.
According to employees who spoke to Politis, MPs behave rudely and in an authoritarian manner towards staff. They give them instructions and assign them tasks, even though no civil service relationship or hierarchical dependency exists between them. Their behaviour towards younger officers is reportedly particularly dismissive. At the same time, a number of employees are said to tolerate even incidents of intimidation, as they fear the possible repercussions of reacting.
The letter, revealed yesterday by politis.com.cy, does not name any MPs. The question is whether Ms Demetriou will seek a meeting with the employees’ staff association. Such a meeting would brief her on specific incidents and allow those involved to be named. A possible referral to the House Ethics Committee could then be examined, should evidence emerge that justifies such a step.
Staff express strong dissatisfaction
In their letter, House staff express strong dissatisfaction and concern over the conduct of certain MPs. This applies both to their professional dealings within Parliament and to public statements and social media posts. The employees denounce behaviour and public references which, as they point out, undermine their work. They say these attribute blanket blame and negative characterisations to staff, without regard for their institutional role or the pressured conditions under which they work.
Although the letter makes no reference to it, the reaction is believed to have been prompted by the recent incident involving MPs’ “Pothen Esches” asset declarations. In that incident, details concerning spouses and minor childrenwere inadvertently made public. Responsibility was attributed to two employees, even though publishing the declarations falls within the remit of the competent committee. That committee includes MPs from the Democratic Rally (DISY), AKEL, ELAM and the Democratic Party (DIKO).
Criticism versus personal disparagement
The staff acknowledge the right of MPs to criticise, to express concerns and to request explanations on matters relating to the functioning of the House. They stress, however, that criticism must be kept separate from the personal disparagement of employees, and must respect their dignity and professional standing.
“Public expression of disagreement must not become a means of targeting, assigning exclusive blame to, or belittling the staff of the House,” the letter states.
Staff call for measures
The staff call on the House President to take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. They also stress that the smooth functioning of Parliament, and the protection of the institution’s credibility and dignity, require a working environment governed by mutual respect and recognition of every employee’s contribution.
What the Code of Conduct provides
The staff complaints suggest that MPs may have breached the House Code of Conduct. It should therefore be examined whether their behaviour violated the provisions of the following articles:
Article 3: An MP shall carry out their duties with respect towards all members of the House and their associates: Provided that the MP shall cooperate harmoniously with the staff of the House, showing due respect towards its members.
Article 4: In the exercise of their duties, an MP shall refrain from conduct that incites violence or hatred, or that is threatening, abusive, sexist, racist or offensive in nature. An MP shall also refrain from references or statements that conceal intolerance or an attempt to diminish the personality or dignity of any person, group of persons or member of a group of persons…
Article 7: An MP shall under no circumstances submit to public officers any request for the settlement and/or satisfaction of purely personal matters, or matters concerning a connected person, by invoking or in any way projecting their status as an MP. This applies to any attempt to exert influence for the settlement of a matter, or to speed up any procedure, in the service of a personal or private interest.
The sanctions
The Ethics Committee provides for sanctions depending on the nature and seriousness of the breach. They include a reprimand, censure for unethical or improper conduct, calling the MP to make a public apology, and redress towards the offended party in a manner to be specified.
The Ethics Committee
The House Ethics Committee is chaired by House President Annita Demetriou. Its members are DISY MPs Fotini Tsiridou and Nikos Georgiou, AKEL MPs Andreas Pasiourtides and Argentoula Ioannou, ELAM MP Sotiris Ioannou and DIKO MP Panicos Leonidou.
