.
In the efforts of the powers-that-be to have full control over all matters related to energy, they have succeeded in once again demolishing what little trust and confidence had remained in the Cyprus public system.
The ongoing feud between the Energy Service Director and his political superior, the Minister of Commerce and Industry (who also handles the portfolios of energy and tourism) has caused more harm than whatever good was intended.
It is now clear that Solon Kassinis may have had too much on his plate and too small a team to support him. The Minister’s admission that “the Energy Department employs 60 people of whom only four or five dealt with the hydrocarbon issues” is a cause for great concern, as this shows that in the absence of proper management of energy issues (permits, subsidies, etc.) this Department is yet another white elephant with 55 people who could be made redundant.
This is nothing new and the Minister’s fresh revelations should be criticised for coming too late, almost three years into the current administration.
On the other hand, Praxoulla Antoniadou is doing little to appease concerns that the only reason to undermine Kassinis was in order to award hydrocarbon exploration licenses directly to Russian companies. And this, in exchange for the not-so-generous loan of 2.5 bln euros that will help to temporarily reduce the public deficit and keep this administration afloat until the next elections in February 2013.
Rumours are being fuelled by the fact that other Cabinet members who are not competent to deal with energy issues are already talking about future deals, while bickering over energy issues is simply throwing a smokescreen over the fail peace talks to reunite the island.
In the real world, Cyprus has once again become the laughing stock of the international business community (having already lost the trust of fellow European politicians) as it seems to be no worse than some of the autocratic states that have recently been toppled. The wrong message that is being given out is that “you can do whatever you like in Cyprus, as long as you know who to talk to,” not that this was not the case in the past.
If Kassinis was as corrupt as some want to suggest he was, then he should be sacked and the whole Energy Service dismantled. Otherwise, he should be left to do what he knows best, probably with better supervision and transparency.
The biggest mistake so far was not introducing the institution of Junior Ministers with individual portfolios, as had been suggested quite a few years ago.
