POLICE TAKE CHARGES TO AKKELIDOU

HEALTH Minister Dina Akkelidou found herself one step away from
prosecution for allegedly meddling in the course of justice after
police personally informed her of the charges levelled against her
yesterday upon her return from Rome.

Assistant to the Chief of Police Soteris Charalambous personally
delivered the charges to the minister at the Health Ministry. The
case, based on a letter Akkelidou sent to a Larnaca judge regarding
the ongoing trial of a drugs suspect, now awaits the
Attorney-general's approval before criminal proceedings begin against
the minister.

Charalambous told reporters after the meeting that the file would be
on the Attorney-general, Solon Nikitas's office by next Monday or
Tuesday. "The case will go back to the Attorney-general, and he will
decide when to register it in court," he said.

Probed as to whether Akkelidou admitted or contested the allegations
against her, Charalambous said it would be unethical to answer.

Asked if he disagreed with Nikitas' decision to indict the minister,
Charalambous replied: "Of course I disagree my views are different
to those of the Attorney-general."

He added that everyone had their own view, and as a legal person, he
had his own.

The police chief assistant is not the first official in high office to
share his or her personal opinion with the public. President Tassos
Papadopoulos said on his return from Estonia last Thursday that he
clearly disagreed with the Attorney-general's decision to launch
criminal proceedings against the minister.

The latter's view is shared by Akkelidou's party, AKEL, and other
government partners. They argue that the minister had the drug
suspect's best interests at heart when she wrote to the judge and had
even apologised for her procedural blunder afterwards. AKEL deputy,
Nicos Katsourides, yesterday accused Nikitas of repeatedly focusing on
the dead letter of the law and not the living circumstances in a
number of cases.

This line of reasoning did not pass with Akkelidou's detractors,
however, who called for her immediate resignation, arguing it was
unimaginable for a minister to remain in office while first under
investigation and now under prosecution.

Opposition DISY spokesman, Tassos Mitsopoulos, yesterday hinted again
at resignation, arguing that Akkelidou had to make a certain gesture
that would send a message to society on the general functioning of the
government. He added that from the moment the minister was indicted,
people had to respect that.

Government Spokesman Kypros Chrysostomides said the minister and
government's predicament would probably be discussed in Cabinet today
when the President meets Akkelidou in person.

The Health Minister refused to comment yesterday, and called on the
media to respect her decision not to speak just yet. She confirmed
that she would meet with the President soon to discuss the case
against her.

After a storm of questions directed at her, she told reporters: "You
are challenging me to comment when you know that you have all been
called to testify (on the case). I think that you too are required to
stop asking questions," said Akkelidou.

The maximum sentence for interfering in the course of justice is three
years' imprisonment.