Nicosia, Cyprus. Assistant chief returning officer Menelaos Vasiliou said on Monday that preparations have been completed for the submission of candidacies for the May 24 parliamentary elections. He said there are no outstanding issues.
Review of concerns about candidates under investigation
Responding to questions about cases involving candidates under investigation, Vasiliou said a letter submitted by Diko leader Nicolas Papadopoulos is being examined by the Legal Service and other competent state authorities.
Eligibility criteria under the Constitution
Referring to a recent incident involving a candidate from the Active Citizens – Movement of Cypriot United Hunters, Vasiliou said that under the Constitution any citizen of the Republic who has reached the age of 21 is eligible to stand for parliamentary election.
He said candidates must not have been convicted of a dishonourable or morally reprehensible offence, must not have been deprived of eligibility following a court decision for an electoral offence, and must not suffer from a mental condition rendering them incapable of performing parliamentary duties.
When and where candidacies will be submitted
Candidacies will be submitted to the relevant returning officers on Wednesday between 9am and 12:30pm.
For the Nicosia electoral district, submissions will take place at the Archangelos Cultural of Kykkos monastery. In Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos and Famagusta they will be filed at the respective District Administration offices. For Kyrenia, submissions will be made at the multipurpose hall of the Ministry of Finance.
Candidacies for representatives of religious groups in the House of Representatives will be submitted on the same day at the office of the Director General of the Ministry of Interior.
Requirements for filing a candidacy
Vasiliou said each candidacy must be submitted in writing and signed by four voters from the respective electoral district, with two acting as proposers and two as supporters. A fee of €500 must be deposited for each candidacy.
He added that candidates are required to sign a declaration confirming that they meet the eligibility criteria set out in the Constitution.
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