Koutsou, as in MacCarthy
EVROKO deputy Nikos Koutsou requested a debate by the Parliamentary Ethics Committee on the subject of financing for the promotion of the Annan Plan. This is a story that the government itself has fabricated. No reliable evidence exists that could give rise to even a suspicion that the "Yes" vote was financed by the United States. After all, the "No" campaign was so overwhelmingly superior, in both funds and other means, that if there were to be an investigation this is where it should start.
Considering the government's refusal to provide evidence as to how much it receives from the CIA with regard to the FBIS radio station, as well as who manages the amount received, nobody can be certain whether US funds did not actually go toward promoting a "No" vote. After all, experience has shown that the "Yes" vote in the south and the "No" vote in the north have worked just fine for the United States and for Turkey.
The way in which NGO's [Non Governmental Organizations) are operating is not the responsibility of the Parliamentary Ethics Committee. This committee is better placed to examine the evidence published by Politis regarding the CIA's secret funds. Why does not the committee invite Lillikas and put to him the questions to which he refuses to reply to us, since this concerns a major issue of principle, the receipt of money from foreign services without paying the amounts involved into the state income account.
Koutsou prepared a list of names of persons that voted "Yes" at the referendum. These persons had applied to UNOPS [United Nations Office for Project Services] for the funding of various programs that were advertised on the internet. The approval of the relevant applications was through a set of procedures in which the Government of Cyprus participated. Most of the names included on the Koutsou list, which was distributed to journalists in a manner reminiscent of a black list, submitted applications that were not even approved. He carefully left out persons that received substantial sums but are allies of Papadopoulos.
All across Europe, foreign organizations and the foreign ministries of ALL serious countries are the main sponsors of NGO's. In Cyprus, a party calling itself European and in a manner that is dishonest and political unethical, resorts to Stalinist and third-world style methods to prove that what is normal practice in Europe is considered as a betrayal in Cyprus and those applying for the funds are themselves traitors. On the contrary, the nationally "correct thinkers" could receive money from all sources because, according to the verdict of deputy Zacharias Koulias, the dean of populism "the money is given for a good cause."
It is really a pity that those flying high the banner of European values have transplanted in today's Cypriot political life the American MacCarthyism of the 1950's.
Makarios Drousiotis - Politis
08/10/2006