Costas Clerides warned on Thursday that he would take measures against anyone insulting the office of the Attorney-general after being called “a disgrace” to the justice system by a prominent lawyer the previous day.
Clerides and lawyer Polys Polyviou clashed in the courtroom on Wednesday with the latter calling the former “a disgrace” to the justice system during the ongoing Bank of Cyprus cases.
Commenting on the incident, Clerides said the next time someone insulted him, he would not let it pass.
“If such an insolent and unethical attack against me ever happens again, and I’m not protected by the court, I will take all the necessary measures to defend the institution I serve, apology or not,” he told the Cyprus News Agency.
Polyviou verbally attacked the AG after the latter objected to him speaking for a second time to comment on what Clerides had said earlier in his arguments.
Clerides said Polyviou was putting pressure on the court. The lawyer responded that pressure was being exercised by the attorney-general “who is a disgrace to the Cyprus justice system and has ruined the courts.”
Clerides had asked for the protection of the court and demanded Polyviou was immediately brought up for contempt of court.
Later on, however, Polyviou apologised for his behaviour towards the court, Clerides and the other lawyers, and for his “unacceptable” conduct and took back what he said.
“It was in the heat of the moment,” Polyviou said.
Following the apology, Clerides said he changed his mind about asking the court to apply the regulation on contempt.
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