In a recent interview with KYPE, Giorgos Aresti, President of the Advisory Council in Cyprus, defended the council’s government appointments to Semi-State Organizations. Aresti referred to the criticisms aimed at his council as “very unfair” and emphasised the transparency of the process. This is the first time that opportunities have opened for the ordinary citizen to sit on the boards of these organisations without needing to undertake party procedures, he said.
Aresti also noted that he was pleased with the council’s harmony and consensus during the process despite demanding timelines set by the PtD. Complaints from those who weren’t chosen are natural, he added, given that they received 1070 applications for approximately 300 positions.
Further criticisms originated from political parties, Aresti acknowledged, stating that for the first time, “the parties do not have the lion’s share in the government appointments of the Boards of the Parastatal Organizations.” Aresti defended this shift, stating that the role of parties was to determine policy, not complete the final state appointment.
Regarding potential conflicts of interest, Aresti stated that the candidates were judged based on their applications and any personal interviews were simply impractical given the quantity of submissions. He reminded critics that corrective measures exist should future issues arise.
