Filenews 7 July 2022 - by Despina Psyllou
Citizens will be able to take on the role of legislator, drawing up policies and exercising control over the executive and legislative powers. These are the provisions of a bill and a proposal for a prefecture, which were presented yesterday before the Committee on Legal Affairs of the House regarding the citizens' legislative initiative that will be addressed to the Council of Ministers and the House of Representatives. The two texts that have remained in the drawer since 2017 and 2016, respectively, were viewed positively by the competent bodies, organised groups and MPs. In fact, as underlined by the President of the Committee, Nikos Tornaritis, the intention is for the bill to be submitted next October for a vote by the Plenary.
In particular, the Commissioner for the Citizen, Panagiotis Sentonas, told the Commission that citizens will have the opportunity to raise issues with the Council of Ministers. For its part, the Council of Ministers will be obliged to answer to the citizens' initiative regarding what it will do. "It is a channel of participation that will enshrine and create the legal framework for citizens to submit issues."
The Citizens' Initiative Law, he said, will give citizens the opportunity to raise issues with the Council of Ministers after collecting a certain number of signatures. As he explained, the number of signatures refers to 8,000, but it may be modified. He also said that in cooperation with the Deputy Ministry of Innovation, a digital platform is being prepared through which signatures will be collected.
For her part, DIKO MP Christiana Erotokritou, who prepared the draft law, clarified that it aligns the Cyprus issue with the European legal framework, modernizes democracy and gives a platform to citizens. "The proposal concerns the submission of initiatives, through the digital collection of 5,000 signatures from citizens on an issue that concerns them. That is, with the collection of 5,000 signatures, it is put before the Parliament with the possibility of reaching a legislative regulation. This framework exists in all European countries and is a modern form of participatory democracy."
The bill was tabled in 2016, inspiring, as he said, the submission of the government bill, which concerns a similar procedure. The institution of the people's legislative initiative is introduced, an instrument of direct participatory democracy, supported by the signatures of 5,000 citizens. It is proposed to grant citizens the right to submit policy proposals to the Parliament, calling on the legislative power to adopt or amend or repeal legislation on issues of common interest and / or public interest.
However, he clarified that the House is not committed to proceed, nor to accept its passage through the House. He also said that special software is needed for the process, as is the case in the European Citizens' Initiative.
