AKEL on Monday expressed strong concern over what it describes as the repeated refusal of the executive to submit to the House Ethics Committee, and the Ombudswoman, the names of donors to the Independent Social Support Body.
In a letter addressed to the President of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou, the party’s parliamentary spokesman Giorgos Loukaides said the information had been requested as part of an ex officio inquiry.
The request followed the publication of audiovisual material allegedly showing close associates of the President of the Republic involved in references suggesting serious indications of unlawful political financing.
The letter states that the refusal “raises a serious institutional issue concerning the proper functioning of the democratic system”, calling into question constitutional order and institutional cooperation. It adds that the stance “restricts the constitutional role of Parliament as the institutional body of democratic accountability”.
Loukaides has asked for the matter to be placed before the forthcoming meeting of party leaders and/or party representatives in order to examine the issue and safeguard the institutional functioning of Parliament.
Proposal calls on President to submit donor details
At the same time, the AKEL has tabled a draft resolution before the House of Representatives calling on the President of the Republic to immediately forward to the competent parliamentary committee all data, documents and information deemed necessary for the full exercise of parliamentary oversight in relation to contributions to the Independent Social Support Body.
The proposal stresses that phenomena of collusion and corruption undermine public trust in institutions and in the democratic process. It also notes that Cyprus has fallen by three places in the 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, according to data from Transparency International.
The motion further refers to audiovisual material allegedly showing close associates of the President involved in indications of possible unlawful political financing and preferential treatment of business interests through the fund of the Independent Social Support Body. It also cites findings by the Audit Office that contributions to the fund create conditions of a special relationship with the state.