Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus lawmakers are moving to clarify that patient and disability organisations will not be required to register as lobbyists in order to meet state officials, House legal committee chairman Demetris Demetriou said on Wednesday.
Proposed amendment and parliamentary process
Demetriou was referring to a bill submitted by Akel MP Aristos Damianou, which is expected to be put to a vote soon. Damianou said the bill will be taken to the plenary as soon as possible so that affected organisations can meet government officials without further obstacles.
Concerns raised by organisations
Damianou said it had never been the legislator’s intention to treat patient and disability organisations as lobbyists, citing complaints that a deputy ministry had asked such groups to register before being granted meetings with ministers or senior officials. He said organisations fighting for basic rights should not be placed in the same category as entities promoting financial interests.
Representatives of patient and disability groups described the requirement as offensive, saying their members act voluntarily and already submit audited accounts. One representative said, “Corruption does not belong to those fighting for their lives.”
Responses from institutions and stakeholders
The legal service viewed the proposal positively but suggested clearer wording to avoid possible discrimination.
The Cyprus bar association and NGO Oxygen for Democracy expressed reservations, stressing the importance of transparency and warning that exemptions could create grey areas.
Diko MP Zacharias Koulias voiced support for the amendment, saying he was surprised such organisations had been asked to register at all.
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