Elam kicks controversial MP Andreas Themistocleous out of party (Updated)

Far-right party Elam has expelled controversial MP Andreas Themistocleous from the party and has asked him to respect the people’s vote and give up his seat in parliament.

In a statement, Elam condemned the MP’s constant inappropriate behaviour “despite all the verbal, written, and in-person cautions” he violates the party code of ethics, which he had agreed to.

“We call on Mr Themistocleous to surrender the parliamentary seat, respecting the popular vote that ranked Elam fourth with four MPs,” the statement said.

Under the current system, MPs can leave a party or be expelled without giving up their seat. Should they choose to resign, the seat goes to the runner up of the same party. No by-election is held.

The decision was communicated by the leader of the party Christos Christou in a letter to House president Annita Demetriou.

Earlier Thursday, daily Politis published a leaked letter by Elam to House President Annnita Demetriou informing her of the “termination of cooperation” with Themistocleous, adding that “he is therefore no longer a member of our parliamentary group”.

Themistocleous found himself in hot water last month after Green party parliamentary assistant Efi Xanthou accused him of verbally harassing her during a house education committee.

Xanthou, who is the party’s deputy chairwoman, said Themistocleous moved towards her while shouting at her to get out of the meeting after she put her hand up to respond in the absence of a Greens MP.

After the incident, the parliamentary committee on standards unanimously agreed on September 14 that Themistocleous had a case to answer.

In a separate case at the end of September, Diko MP and chairman of the education committee Pavlos Mylonas censured Themistocleous for constantly interrupting the work of the committee and offending colleagues and guests.

The committee had been discussing both school issues in general and the specific problems faced by residents of Kato Pyrgos who travel to Nicosia through the north to bring their children to afternoon lessons.

The Elam MP also offended the Pyrgos residents because they used the north.

The journey by car from Pyrgos to central Nicosia takes about an hour and 45 minutes when crossing via the north compared with roughly three hours without using the crossings – travelling via the mountain route instead.

Mylonas said Themistocleous has a habit of disrupting proceedings which hinders the functioning of the committee and wastes time. It was also said that the Elam MP referred to parliament as a ‘coffee shop’.

The situation reached a boiling point with Mylonas saying that if it remained unresolved then the committee would not meet again – at least with himself as chairperson.

Mylonas also stated that he has no desire to be the judge or policeman, neither Themistocleous’ psychologist, saying that the committee has much work to press on with and other officials will take up the complaints against the Elam MP.

Themistocleous is no stranger to trouble.

Between 2001 and 2016, when he was MP with ruling Disy, the Supreme Court had lifted his parliamentary immunity to face trial over repeated traffic violations involving speeding.

After failing to get re-elected with Disy in 2016, he moved to Elam and managed to win a seat in parliament earlier this year.