Disy MP Nikos Sykas’ appeal against his removal from his party’s ballot paper will be heard next week, after the Limassol district court had last month rejected his initial attempt to block his exclusion from the party’s list.

Sykas, who has represented the Limassol district since 2021, had been removed from Disy’s list after his partner accused him of physically abusing her during a holiday in Greece on New Year’s Eve.

Although the complaint was later withdrawn, the supreme court unanimously lifted Sykas’ immunity, allowing police to continue their investigation.

After he was removed from the party’s list, his lawyer Christos Pourgourides had argued that the decision breached the basic principles of justice and said that the decision was taken without first hearing his client.

Party leader and House President Annita Demetriou, meanwhile, stressed that Disy has “no tolerance for any allegations of violence”, and that “our principles are non-negotiable” in justifying the party’s decision to remove him from the ballot.

However, the party’s Limassol branch rushed to his defence, and though it acknowledged the political considerations behind the decision taken by the central party to remove him from the ballot, it warned against attempts by “organised groups and individuals” to exploit the case so as to harm the party.

“Respecting the principle that every person is innocent until proven guilty; we refuse to participate in any attempt to undermine his dignity and that of his family,” it said.

Last month, he challenged the decision at the Limassol district court, which found that the matter is for the party itself to decide, and not for the courts.

“In conclusion and with regard to the procedure to be followed in such a case, even if an issue of ambiguity arises, it is left to the party itself to resolve it and not to the court. In short, there is no demonstration … of even a clear violation of the provisions of the party’s statute,” the decision read.

The decision also stated that even if the court had found that there would be “irreparable harm” caused to Sykas by his removal from the party’s list, “the balance of convenience had to be examined”.

The appeal will now be heard on Thursday next week.