Casino dash before new Cyprus gov’t
A House committee in the Republic of Cyprus is blocking three appointments on a casino commission until after the new cabinet takes shape on March 1, with members raising conflict of interest concerns and the outgoing government insisting it should be allowed to fill the vacant positions now.
Tourism Deputy Minister Savvas Perdios has called on members of Parliament’s Commerce Committee to green-light the assignment of three positions on the Cyprus Gaming and Casino Supervision Commission, an appointment that must take place by the executive after consent from the legislative branch.
According to local media, the cabinet has been trying to push forward with appointments of three positions after they became vacant on February 5, when their tenure ended on the same day the first round of election took place.
But recent cabinet efforts to rush through new appointments were met with resistance from the House committee, where a majority of members argued any new assignments were too close to the presidential election.
The casino commission consists of seven members, all of whom were appointed by President Nicos Anastasiades.
