Our View: Last-minute politics backfires on government

The government has made a big fuss about the defeat of its bill extending the existence of the temporary post of deputy minister of European affairs by another five months. It attacked Disy in particular, for helping vote down the bill which had been tabled as ‘urgent’ on Thursday and the government expected an automatic approval with no discussion or questions. The post will cease to exist at the end of July, according to the law, while the new bill would have extended it for another five months. If the bill is not approved before the legislature’s summer recess, the employment of deputy minister Marilena Raouna would halt at the end of the month. She cannot be kept in the job waiting for the bill to be approved when the House is expected to reconvene in September. Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis lambasted Disy and mocked the claim that deputies needed time to study and discuss the bill. The only change to the two-page bill was the date replacing 31/7 by 31/12, he said, sarcastically pointing out that “this is the change they did not have time to study.” He also took great exception to the view expressed by Disy deputy Onoufrios Koulas that a European affairs deputy minister was not needed now that the Cyprus presidency of the European Council is over. “The argument that the Cyprus Republic has been in the EU for 22 years without the need of this structure is anachronistic indeed,” said Letymbiotis, arguing that “states evolve and needs change.” If this is such a much-needed structure, why had the government asked only for a five-month extension? Will there be no need for such a structure next year even though states evolve? Will the state’s evolution end at the end of this year? In a response to Letymbiotis’ outburst, Disy quite rightly pointed out that “if the extension was indeed so crucial for the interests of the Cyprus Republic and for the negotiation of the EU multiannual financial framework, why was it not foreseen in a timely manner?” This is the obvious question, for which the government had no answer. If indeed the extension of Raouna’s tenure was of such vital importance, why had the government left it to the last minute? Had it only just realised that it was in the national interest for Raouna to remain in the post until the end of the year or was it hoping that the extension would have been approved, more easily if it were left to the last minute? If this was the thinking it was a gross miscalculation and the only option left for the government now is to beg Disy to vote on the bill before the parliamentary recess, because Akel will not oblige. It will have to suffer the embarrassment if Raouna’s continued presence is so important.