Justice Minister Emily Yiolitis was angry after opposition MPs on Wednesday decided by majority to shelve three reform bills overhauling the island’s notoriously slow justice system.
“This is an irresponsible action that will extend delays in the dispensation of justice,” she said in a written statement.
Only ruling Disy representatives at the House Legal Affairs Committee decided not to send the bills to the plenum for discussion before parliament dissolves on April 22 ahead of the parliamentary elections. These are scheduled for May 30.
Political parties chose not to rise to the occasion and set aside petty political expediencies, the angry Minister also said in the statement.
However main opposition Akel MP Aristos Damianou said the Minister had failed to send promptly the amended bills to the House.
He also said that a few weeks before the Parliament dissolves, the Minister sent justice reform bills that need to be strongly debated and with some being unconstitutional as well.
