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The vote on the annual budgets of the University of Cyprus and the Cyprus University of Technology, which were examined during today's meeting of the Education Committee of the House of Representatives, has been postponed.
The proposed budgets amount to 163 million for the University of Cyprus (UC), and 74 million for the Cyprus University of Technology (CUT). The debate was not concluded as questions were raised concerning the management of the funds available to the two institutions.
In statements after the meeting, Committee Chairman and DIKO MP Pavlos Mylonas, said that the Committee is awaiting answers regarding the double payment of €1.6 million from PK to the same company, without having fully informed the Parliament, which approved the relevant funds.
"We find it unacceptable that a €1.6 million payment from the PC to a contractor was approved last week by the Plenary of the Parliament, while after the approval of the supplementary budget we learned that a payment for the same amount had already been made," said Mr. Mylonas, adding that this is disrespectful to the Commission and the Parliament, but above all to the people. "Public universities should be our pride and these attitudes are not befitting of rectors," he said."
He also said that "there is a report that will be completed soon and the Audit Office has hinted that it 'smells' a scandal about the Polytechnic".
With regard to the TEPAK, the chairman said that answers are expected regarding complaints about staff members, as well as the high rents paid to house its services.
He stated that "no budget will go to the full committee" until all questions raised at the committee meeting have been answered.
The press spokesman for the Audit Office, Marios Petrides, said that after a preliminary investigation, it was found that on 2/9/2021 the University of Cyprus paid €1.6 million to a company, while there was no budget approved in the year's budget for this purpose. "We have brought the above to the attention of the Attorney General so that he can exercise his own constitutional, exclusive powers," he concluded.
For his part, the rector of the University of Cyprus, Tasos Christofides, responding to questions about the issue investigated by the Audit Service, said that "the amicable settlement (between the university and the company) was approved by the Central Claims and Claims Committee, in which the Auditor General also participates." On the progress of work on the Faculty of Engineering, he said that due to the size of the project and the peculiarity of the materials there were delays, so the university "made an attempt at an amicable settlement with the contractor, with strict timelines and clauses", which was not accepted by the Central Claims and Claims Committee. "If this project is not completed and we are asked to discontinue it, the taxpaying citizen will bear a huge cost," he concluded.
DISY MP Prodromos Alabritis expressed pride "for attracting funds from European and research programmes and for the level of degrees" of Cyprus' public universities. He noted, however, that in the past mistakes were made that should not be repeated, and stressed that future goals should be to attract grants from European programs for research and innovation, in order to create jobs and the overall development of the country.
In conclusion, he stressed the need for the creation of a University School in Larnaca, a long-standing demand of the city's stakeholders, to which, as Mr. On behalf of AKEL, MP Christos Christofias said that "public universities have contributed a lot to research, to the employment of young scientists, but also to the right to free and quality education for the young people of our country."
On behalf of AKEL, MP Christos Christofias said that "public universities have offered a lot to research, to the employment of young scientists, but also to the right to free and quality education for the young people of our country.
He said, however, that questions had been raised to the two universities in relation to where the money collected from tuition fees for postgraduate programmes was being channelled. "The rationale behind the tuition fees was that this money was to be returned to improving the quality of education and student benefits," he said, noting that this remains to be ascertained. He added that there are concerns about student welfare, particularly towards students from lower social strata.
Speaking as MP for the Larnaca district, Andreas Apostolou of the EPP said he was "deeply hurt by the inconsistency of the University of Cyprus", as "there was a commitment that in September 2019 the School of Marine Sciences would start operating with students in two departments", but with the change in the rector's authority, this decision has not been implemented. He concluded that the MPs and bodies of the province will continue their efforts to establish a University School in Larnaca in a coordinated manner.
The MP of the DPA, Alekos Tryfonidis, praised the academic work of the universities, as well as their participation in research projects abroad. He noted that their further development internationally will attract foreign exchange to the Cypriot economy, but stressed that the intention is "to contribute constructively to solve problems and to lift the veil of mystery over various projects".
He referred to a number of issues that need to be addressed, such as the increase in student halls of residence, the presentation of a study on the use of graduates' knowledge and skills in the labour market (so that they do not end up unemployed), the construction of privately owned facilities to save millions in rent, the €115 million shortfall in student accommodation, the construction of a new building in order to save the millions in rent, and the €115 million deficit.
Special mention was made of the issue of the Faculty of Engineering, which started in 2016 and was expected to be completed in 2019, but is only in the middle of work and has absorbed €37 million so far, out of a total cost of €37 million, estimated for the project. "We stressed that we cannot pass a budget without correcting criminal errors and omissions and losing millions from the state's coffers," he concluded.
Independent MP Andreas Themistocleous also referred to the problem with the construction of the Polytechnic School of the PC, which he said is experiencing "significant delays", as is the Library of the same University.
Limassol Arena debate opens in Parliament
DIKO MP Chrysanthos Savvidis said that the issue concerning the allocation of the funds approved for the construction of the Limassol Arena stadium in Kolossi was raised as an ex officio issue before the Committee.
"They were building a stadium 13.000 seats and finally we learn that there will be fewer seats," he said, adding that €40 million had already been approved for the stadium and another €10 million for the road network around it.
"These amounts were approved for a project that in the end seems to be different from what we had in mind," he concluded.
Source: CNA
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