Slap on the wrist for MP over inappropriate behaviour

Parliament on Thursday handed independent MP Andreas Themistocleous a verbal reprimand over his inappropriate behaviour last September toward an official with the Green Party.

The decision on Themistocleous’ penalty – essentially a slap on the wrist – was announced by the special committee on the code of conduct of MPs. Themistocleous himself was absent from the proceedings – apparently for personal reasons on the day.

In early September 2021, during a discussion at the House health committee, Themistocleous shouted at Efi Xanthou, then a parliamentary assistant sitting in on the session.

Xanthou was sitting in on behalf of the Greens’ MP Charalambos Theopemptoum, and she was putting her hand up to respond to remarks heard during the session.

This apparently irritated Themistocleous – at the time with the Elam party but now an independent – and he got up from his seat and moved threateningly toward Xanthou, gesturing and shouting at her to leave the room.

Themistocleous was cited as telling Xanthou: “You are nothing in here, get out. When you get elected by the people you will have the right to speak in parliament.”