South Cyprus's Auditor General Fired for Inappropriate Conduct

The panel of eight judges said they were not convinced by Michaelides’ defence, determining that he crossed the line and showed a complete disrespect in his mannerism, attitude and rhetoric.

“It is with sorrow that we observe the auditor general did not limit himself the way he should. He showed a complete lack of self-restraint,” Supreme Constitutional Court President Antonis Liatsos said. 

The ruling spanned 209 pages, calling his conduct dangerous, and did “not even meet the bare minimum” of what is should be. It said Michaelides undermined the constitutional standing of the legal service’s opinions, and caused public rifts.

The decision covered a slew of clashes between the Michaelides and Attorney General George Savides ranging from the golden passports, the University of Cyprus dean and his daughter, as well as a complaint to the anti-corruption authority for the deputy AG.

It said Michaelides’ rhetoric was rife with irony, enmity and showed no self-restraint. The auditor general was also found to have tried to undermine the AG’s legal opinions, and repeatedly misinformed the public through his statements.

Citing the auditor general’s stance during discussions on multiple pensions, the judges said “he targetted the AG and showed lack of objectivity.”

Michaelides was found to have “insulted Savvides” and suggested the rule of law “was threatened by the AG – the top official that is supposed to uphold it.”

Judges were unanimous in ruling that Michaelides demonstrated a “complete lack of self-restraint” and “brutally violated the deputy attorney general’s right to innocence” in the way he handled the complaint filed to the anti-corruption authority.

Though the auditor general argued his attitude was a result of the threatening attitude he claimed he received from the legal service, the judges said if Michaelides felt slighted, he should have demonstrated self-restraint and behaved in a manner befitting his position.

Savvides filed a case to the Supreme Constitutional Court in April, seeking to have Michaelides’ fired for inappropriate conduct.

Reading out the decision, judges said that Michaelides’ stance showed a lack of respect to Savvides’ legal positions and they were not convinced by his line of explanations.

Source: Cyprus Mail