House wants Cyprus President to resign over blast

The Cyprus House of Representatives approved on Friday a resolution calling on President Demetris Christofias to take responsibility attributed to him by an indepedent inquiry into a deadly blast at a naval base last July, and resign from his post.
Thirty-three MPs voted in favour of the resolution and 18 left-wing AKEL party MPs voted against the resolution that said this would contribute to the establishment of a climate of stability and preventing any unneeded polarization, intolerance and division
Thirteen people were killed and dozens were injured when a massive explosion occurred at ''Evangelos Florakis'' naval base, near Limassol on July 11 knocking out the adjacent power station that plunged the economy into darkness and causing havoc to the economy.
The blast occurred in containers full of munitions, which Cyprus had confiscated from ''Monchegorsk'', a vessel sailing from Iran to Syria in 2009.
The independent commission's, headed by Polys Polyviou, found that the President bears “grave personal responsibilities” for the tragic blast. It also said that former Ministers of Defence and Foreign Affairs have serious responsibility. They have already resigned, while the communist Akel party now refutes the findings of the inquiry, appointed by Christofias.