Pamboridis Makes Replacing the 1960 Constitution Core of His Disy Nomination Bid
Former health minister George Pamboridis told journalists that Cyprus needs a new constitution, and he also set out anti-corruption steps and a firm rejection of any two-state solution.
Nicosia, Cyprus. George Pamboridis, a former health minister, has proposed that Cyprus replace its 1960 Constitution with a new charter, making this the main plank of his campaign for the Disy nomination. He presented the idea in a policy speech to journalists on Thursday.
A new constitutional framework
Pamboridis said the island needs “a new, functional, modern and European constitution” that would build institutional counterweights into all areas of state activity. He added that such a text must not diminish the sovereignty of the Republic and should operate “as a lever for development and not as a hindrance”.
The legacy of 1963
His case draws on the events of 1963, when Turkish Cypriots left their positions in the state amid the constitutional crisis. The 1960 constitution gave defined roles to both communities, so its provisions could not be implemented without them. The Supreme Court therefore relied on the doctrine of necessity, which lets state bodies keep working when strict compliance with the Constitution is not possible.
That doctrine has since supported legislation and the day-to-day running of the state. Critics argue it was never intended to be permanent.
Corruption and accountability
Pamboridis said this arrangement has allowed a state to operate without adequate checks on power. He linked the matter to public concern over corruption, which he said has permeated all areas of public life.
Until a new constitution is agreed, he said, the state should introduce specific offences for public officials and rebuild its mechanisms for punishing wrongdoing. He also called for guarantees that investigations are free from supervision.
The Cyprus problem
On the Cyprus problem, Pamboridis said the party was founded to resolve it and that this goal remains unchanged. He criticised what he described as prolonged inaction while Turkey entrenched the existing situation on the island. He stressed that he would never accept a two-state solution, regardless of how ambitiously some people choose to label it.
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