Filenews 12 September 2021 - by Nikos Chr. Charalambous
The economic crisis, when it broke out in our country about ten years ago, a symptom of an unhealthy financial system that was operating uncontrollably, found Cyprus decommissioned and completely unable to resist. It found Cyprus beset by entanglement, corruption, populism and incompetence.
The huge crime in Mari coincided. This projected the face of an incompetent state system, representing a government locked in ideological rigidities. It is these ideological rigidities that prompted the then President of the Republic to turn a deaf ear to desperate calls for the destruction of container material or for its transportation and to ignore the instructions of the USA, Britain, Germany and France, which urged the Republic of Cyprus to destroy the material immediately, in order to avoid the killing of so many of our fellow human beings.
The way it was invented to overcome the economic crisis and heal the wounds left by the "haircut" of deposits, imposed on us, highlighted in all its sad ... magnificence the sad image of the state apparatus. The granting, even in limited numbers, of the identity of the citizen of the Republic of Cyprus to all sorts of international fraudsters, with sloppiness and without the required research, and the revealing video of Al Jazeera, highlighted the dimension of the erosion of institutions and the burrowing of values. Undoubtedly, the granting of Cypriot citizenship to investors of third countries is a measure that can be of financial benefit to the state and does not, as such, constitute an illegal or politically reprehensible act. However, the way it was done, damaged the prestige of the Republic of Cyprus at a time when its existence is being threatened by the Turks and other known and usual suspects. At the same time, the actions of the government offered the opportunity to the opposition parties to indulge in a populism without limits and inhibitions, competing with each other which will reap, in a party clientele, more than the vilification of our country.
All the above present a state apparatus, which did not care to adapt to the changes of the times and the changes of society. Above all, they have highlighted another more serious crisis, which is haunting our society. Judgment of responsible citizens with a sense of obligations and rights. A crisis of moralit, a crisis of social sensitivity. The pursuit of money became an end in itself and money became a measure of evaluation of the success of the individual. The desire to acquire more and more material goods has evolved into a mania of consumerism. "Bribes" and tax evasion have risen to intelligence. The measure was lost. In such situations, inhibitions are reduced, resistance is relaxed and corruption and entanglement find the doors open.
To get to the current impasse, there are many causes. Many have contributed, some more, some less. First of all, the flimsy political system, which brought about the disdain of citizens towards politicians, but also politics itself as a value. At this point, I would like to stress that I am not flattening all the politicians, past and present, of the country, nor do I nullify everyone's contribution. There are the honourable exceptions. But to deny the flimsiness of the political system is to be an ostrich.
To get out of the quagmire of the crisis of institutions and values, the path offered is the one that leads to the modernization of the state. Firstly, political modernisation. The elimination of the client state and the emergence of politicians with a political ethos. The establishment of a new political discourse, with arguments and not with populist utterances. This is the work of politics which in a democracy is expressed and activated through political parties. The existence of political parties is an essential element of the democratic apparatus. They are an institution of the state and, in particular, an institution of realization and essentialization of popular sovereignty.
Unfortunately, however, it is incredibly difficult to accept that Cypriot parties can respond to the needs of society and the state. And I am not talking about the political groups that the various politicians form from time to time. I am referring to the parties that have been maintained over time.
The organization and operation of the parties is characterized by opacity and introversion. Their staff is produced and recycled in the well-known party incubators. There are, of course, exceptions. These exceptions exist to confirm the rule. Moreover, introversion also favours "nepotism" for the staffing of parties, when the facts are available.
To get out of this quagmire, there is a lot to be done. First and foremost, citizens must be awakened and actively undertake to exercise their political rights and obligations, so that there is a real renewal of the political staff. To bring out new politicians who are able to convince the people that they have the will and the ability to achieve the modernisation of political life. They will convince only if their modernizing promises are accompanied by a corresponding behaviour, because "the ethos of the city as a whole is likened to the ruler" (the ethos of all citizens becomes similar to the ethos of the rulers). (Isocrates, To Nikoklea). This is a marathon task, which is made difficult by many factors, such as the aforementioned way in which the parties operate, outdated ideologies, demagoguery, populism and, above all, the unhealthy method of the roustabout on the basis of which the political game is conducted.
There is also an immediate need to reform local government. Apart from the fact that, without the reform, Cyprus will not be able to disburse European funds from the Recovery and Resilience Plan, it is, I think, time to resolve this unhealthy situation of dysfunctionality of local self-government, which has been going on for sixteen long years and is maintained for electioneering reasons and in order to satisfy the aspirations of some.
There is also the issue of modernising the existing justice system, on which bills are pending. Particular attention is paid to the problem of the slow adjudication of cases, which, according to the old-day, constitutes a denial of justice. However, in my humble opinion and based on half a century of experience, the great problem in Cypriot justice, which also produces the night-time trial, is the quality level of several judges, not in terms of their training, but in terms of their critical faculty. A respectable number of decisions, which see the light of publicity, convince the reason for the exact reason, This is due to the way in which the judges are selected. Objective and meritocratic criteria and written examinations should be established to determine the above competence and, in general, the substantive qualifications of the candidates, in order to achieve the selection of the most appropriate ones.
It is also important to modernise the education system. Sixty-one years since the birth of the Republic of Cyprus, education remains the "great patient" in our country. What characterizes most of the years of life of the Republic of Cyprus, is the transformation of education into a permanent guinea pig with successive "reforms", with the absence of a specific and coherent vision.
Slow-powered corrupt engine
Finally, there can be no modernisation of the state without a bold and radical reorganisation of the public service. I had pointed out the major and chronic problems of the public service from the first Annual Reports, which I submitted to the President of the Republic, as Commissioner for Administration. From the investigation of a large number of complaints, the image emerged of a slow-moving, ineffective and, in not a few cases, corrupt machine, unable to meet the challenges of the times. In my Annual Report for the year 1997, I wrote, among other things, the following: "In particular, the investigation of a large number of complaints revealed an anachronistic perception by some state officials of the relations between the state and the citizen. There have also been lengthy bureaucratic procedures, excessive centralisation, interference by one department in the responsibilities of another and quantitative and qualitative shortage of staff... The accession of Cyprus towards the European Union dictates the need to adapt the public service to modern perceptions and its reformation into a dynamic and flexible public administration..."
The task of modernizing the state is not an easy one and requires a painstaking and long-term effort. Social institutions, attitudes and attitudes are not bought or imported. They presuppose social, ideological, cultural, economic and political structures, attitudes and perceptions, which are not transplanted all at once.
The road is long and rough. The road to the end will come up against obstructions and, at the same time, blackmailing trade union language. It will run counter to organised major economic interests and petty political expediency. And in fear of political cost. This infamous political cost is riveted in the quagmire and leaves unsolved the most excruciating problems for Cypriot society.
But we have no choice. We should go down that road.
* Former Assistant Attorney General, former Commissioner for Administration.
