Govt denies trying to get auditor general fired
The presidential palace on Wednesday hit back against allegations that President Nikos Christodoulides was behind efforts to have Auditor General Odysseas Michaelides fired.
In a fiery statement outside the Supreme Court after a two-hour court hearing which decided on his dismissal, Michaelides said after former Attorney General Costas Clerides left “there was a coordinated effort to get rid of me,” for the past four years.
He charged the efforts were instrumentalised by former President Nicos Anastasiades and the heads of the legal service – AG George Savvides and deputy AG Savvas Angelides.
It was an effort “that incumbent President of the Republic joined in on.”
Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis hit back against the statement saying “under no circumstances do we accept this.
“We refute this,” he told the state broadcaster.
All that could be said now is that the court’s decision will be fully respected and Christodoulides has been informed of the outcome, he continued.
“The due process will follow,” Letymbiotis said – meaning the President will have to sign off on Michaelides’ dismissal before it comes into effect.