23 January 2025 - Does the President serve equality or selective treatment?
Officially, in this country, do the laws apply to everyone or can they be rubber-stamped whenever the President of the Republic decides to distribute favors with taxpayers' money?
Countless arrangements have been made, while just last December, the majority of the Parliament increased the sponsorship of football teams from betting taxes on the grounds that it would help them pay off their tax obligations - a decision with which we disagreed. Unfortunately, as we had predicted, this money ended up in football player transfers and the taxes remained unpaid.
We do not ignore the fact that football is an important part of Cypriot sport, a favorite sport for many of us, and can be an integral part of a healthy society. However, since this sector is professional and football companies have budgets of many millions, it is inconceivable that they should have preferential treatment in paying their tax obligations.
The government’s looming retreat creates a dangerous precedent and any professional sector that influences a significant number of voters could now demand preferential treatment at the expense of the public treasury and the citizens.