Deputy Auditor-General Kyriacou rejects Michaelides’ claims about his role at Audit Office

Nicosia, Cyprus. Deputy Auditor-General Kyriacos Kyriacou has denied claims that he is unwilling to work or is to blame for his limited role at the Audit Office. He accused former auditor-general Odysseas Michaelides of creating the situation that Michaelides now criticises.

The remarks that prompted the response

At a session of the House Finance Committee on October 30, Michaelides, who is now an Alma MP, argued that it made no sense to ask for an additional director post. He described the deputy as “sitting around, merely taking part in the reports, with no duties, and another director has to be hired because he cannot be managed”.

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Kyriacou’s statement

In a written statement, Kyriacou said the record needed to be corrected. He stated categorically that he consistently performs every duty assigned to him. He described any claim or hint that he does not wish to work, or that he is responsible for his limited involvement, as entirely unfounded.

Kyriacou said he had asked several times for additional and more substantial responsibilities, first verbally and later in writing. He received no reply.

Constitutional framework

Kyriacou explained that the Constitution provides for the deputy auditor-general to take part in the work of the Audit Office but does not fully define the individual duties of the post. No specific legislation governs how the office operates. Under the constitutional framework, assigning those duties is therefore the responsibility of the serving auditor-general.

For that reason, he said, the deputy cannot be made to bear responsibility for being used so little, particularly since he has repeatedly asked for more duties.

Claim about Michaelides’ tenure

Kyriacou said the situation began while Michaelides was in office, when responsibilities that Kyriacou had previously exercised were taken away. In his words: “The situation was created during the tenure of the former auditor-general”.