Cypriot President-elect Nikos Christodoulides after voting on February 12. His arrival as the new government leader will bring changes to the gaming regulator of Cyprus. (Image: Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nMedia outlet Kathimerini<\/em> explains that, on Tuesday, lawmakers rejected the three candidates nominated to the GCSC by the current government. The government, currently led by President Nicos Anastasiades, is changing hands, and some members of parliament (MP) don\u2019t believe it should be able to recommend who fills the spots.<\/p>\nAs a result, most of the MPs in the House are demanding that the current arrangements be extended until the new government has taken office. Former Cypriot foreign minister Nikos Christodoulides recently won a runoff election and takes office as the new president on February 28.<\/p>\n
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The GCSC has seven members, all of whom were appointed by Anastasiades. He and Deputy Minister of Tourism Savvas Perdios have been pushing for the approval of the three candidates to the commission. However, the Cypriot Parliament\u2019s Commerce Committee has to sign off on the positions following the expiration of the terms of the three on February 5.<\/p>\n
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MP Costas Costa asserted that the outgoing government shouldn\u2019t be nominating new commissioners when it won\u2019t be in place to oversee the activity. Edek MP Elias Myrianthous added that Anastasiades has handed over to his replacement the arrangement regarding the Cyprus Broadcasting Partnership chairman of the board. The same consideration, Myrianthous said, should apply to the GCSC.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
As a result of the vacancies, there are just four individuals currently on the commission. However, a representative of the Cypriot attorney general\u2019s office explained to Parliament that this isn\u2019t a problem. The GCSC\u2019s charter allows for such variations, and the four members still have the authority to make decisions.<\/p>\n
Cypriot laws governing gaming include a clause designed to avoid potential conflicts of interest. It prohibits someone from becoming a commissioner on the GCSC if he or she is part of a connected business venture, such as a casino.<\/strong><\/p>\nThis prohibition extends to that individual\u2019s life partner and relatives \u201cup to a fourth-degree connection.\u201d In addition, a shareholder with more than 1% in a gaming-related enterprise cannot be part of the commission.<\/p>\n
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Lawmakers blocked the appointment of one of the potential candidates because of his relationship with the gaming industry. Christodoulos Angastiniotis, the head of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, cannot be a commissioner, according to the MPs, because of his position.<\/p>\n