Androulla Vassiliou calls withdrawal of police protection ‘odd’

Nicosia, Cyprus. Former European commissioner Androulla Vassiliou described as “odd” the government’s decision to withdraw the police officer assigned to her personal security, while saying she respected the decision.

The justice ministry’s decision, issued on Wednesday, also removed police protection from former House presidents Demetris Syllouris and Yiannakis Omirou, as well as Elsie Christofia, another widowed former first lady.

Vassiliou’s response

Speaking to Sigma television on Thursday, Vassiliou said she was not annoyed by the decision but questioned the focus on the cost of one police officer for an 83-year-old former first lady.

She said that attending events, embassy functions and conferences alone “does not seem quite right”, adding that she hoped the government would show the same readiness in other matters.

Prestige and official engagements

Vassiliou said the issue was not solely one of security, but also of prestige.

“A president who feels unsafe ought to have actual reasons for feeling that way,” she said, noting that Mimi Kyprianou, the wife of former president Spyros Kyprianou, had two drivers until her death.

She also drew a comparison with Greece, questioning whether the wife of former Greek prime minister Costas Simitis travels alone or has a driver.

Use of police officer

Vassiliou said her police officer was not used for private purposes but for transport to official engagements.

She said the officer accompanied her to embassy events, including those hosted by European Union member states, as well as conferences where she was a speaker, the presidential palace and other official functions.