Advisory council scrutiny follows claims over semi-state board appointments

Nicosia, Cyprus. The operation of the advisory council came under scrutiny on Friday after Akel alleged it had been bypassed in appointments to semi-state organisation boards. The government also moved to replace a newly appointed Cyta board member following concerns over a possible conflict of interest.

Committee review

Institutions Committee chairman and Disy MP Demetris Demetriou said the matter had been registered following “the issue that arose at Cyta and the information regarding appointments of individuals without applying”.

Akel alleged that individuals had been appointed to semi-state boards without first submitting applications to the advisory council. It said that, if confirmed, the council had been “completely annulled” and was being used as an alibi to promote predetermined appointments.

The party called on President Nikos Christodoulides and advisory council members to explain the process. It said that if appointments had been made without applications being submitted, those responsible should resign.

Otherwise, Akel said, they would bear “full political and institutional responsibility” for discrediting the institution.

Cyta board appointment

The government moved on Friday to replace a newly appointed member of Cyta’s board of directors after concerns were raised over a possible conflict of interest.

Speaking on CyBC, deputy government spokesman Yiannis Antoniou said the decision had been taken “in the spirit of good governance” after it emerged that the appointee had not declared his relationship with the authority during the selection process.

Antoniou said the omission created a potential conflict of interest and that the government would appoint a replacement.

The development followed a call by Cyta employees’ union Aset for President Christodoulides and the cabinet to revoke the appointment.

The appointee, Loizos Economides, is a retired senior Cyta executive whose wife remains employed by the organisation.