Auditor-general’s replacement ‘matter of days’

President Nikos Christodoulides will take decisions to appoint a new auditor-general in the next few days, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Thursday.

Odysseas Michaelides, who held the post for 10 years was fired on Wednesday following a Supreme Constitutional Court decision that ruled he had not conducted himself in an appropriate manner and was thus ‘unfit for his role’.

Letymbiotis told the state broadcaster the President would be making decisions to replace Michaelides in a matter of days, as efforts to reform the audit office and legal service would continue.

Any proposed reforms aim to strengthen the audit office, he added, though the audit office has ardently hit back saying the reforms are part of an effort to stifle its work.

Michaelides said as much in his farewell speech on Wednesday, underlining that the court decision coupled with the reforms send out a message that audit staff must watch their every word.  

The spokesman said the government respects the audit office and the work it had carried out in the last few years.

Amid criticism towards Christodoulides – primarily from Akel – for not doing enough to stop the two institutions from clashing, Letymbiotis sought to stress that the President did not co-sign the case filed to the court seeking to have Michaelides fired.

Michaelides himself charged that Christodoulides was part of an orchestrated effort seeking to have him ousted, which began four years ago by former President Nicos Anastasiades and the legal service.

The government ardently denied this.

On April 26, Attorney-General George Savvides formally submitted the application to the Supreme Constitutional Court arguing Michaelides should be dismissed for inappropriate conduct.

Letymbiotis said Christodoulides exerted efforts ‘right away’ to deal with the serious conflict between the two independent institutions. Nonetheless, the court’s decision is respected, he added.

House President Annita Demetriou signed Michaelides’ dismissal shortly after the decision, acting as President of the Republic in Christodoulides’ absence.