Michaelides says pension being ‘illegally withheld’
Former auditor-general Odysseas Michaelides on Saturday insisted that the government is “illegally withholding” his pension and other financial benefits he believes he is due on account of his time spent in the public sector.
In a letter sent to accountant-general Andreas Antoniades, he said both the government and attorney-general George Savvides have engaged in a “war of extermination” against him.
He claims that he is due to be paid both a pension and a lump sum corresponding to 26 years of service between September 9, 1998, and September 18 this year when he was relieved of his duties by the Supreme Constitutional Court, which found he had conducted himself inappropriately while in office.
In addition, he said he is due to be compensated for an accrued 75 days’ worth of untaken annual leave and his 13th salary, based on precedent set by former attorney-general Petros Clerides when judge Costas Kamenos was also sacked for inappropriate conduct in 2006.
“It is obvious that both the government and [Savvides] are continuing this war of extermination against me, this time by seizing my assets,” he said, going on to describe the series of events as “unprecedented”.
He added that state officials who reach retirement age are often paid a salary alongside their pension, “contrary to an express provision of the law which prohibits this”, but that “in my case you are attempting to grab an undisputed asset of mine because [Savvides] told you he did not find the law appropriate”.
“Because of his zeal, which seems to be carrying on even after I was sacked, [Savvides] wants to appoint a private attorney and tell him I am not entitled to my pension, for which I paid my contributions,” he said.
He added, “it is a shame for our country what is happening, and the main responsibility for this of course lies with the head of state, the President [Nikos Christodoulides].
“We all have an obligation in this country to strongly react to what is happening. Civil society must and has the power to oppose this fragile system. This is why I am making this public.”
Michaelides was removed from office by the Supreme Constitutional in September, with an eight-judge panel unanimously ruling that he had conducted himself inappropriately, and that he was thus unfit to carry out the office’s duties.
The court’s verdict was 209 pages long and scathing, with Michaelides having been found to have repeatedly sought to undermine Savvides’ legal opinions, often writing his own interpretations which contradicted those of the attorney-general.
It was written in the decision that Michaelides “did not limit himself to the role of the whistleblower to the independent anti-corruption authority but reserved for himself the role of a judge after proceeding to draw conclusions on his statements and submissions.”
Additionally, the court referred to “obscene content” which occurred on a social media page dedicated to supporting Michaelides, saying that although the page did not belong to Michaelides, “it bore his name and photograph”.
Michaelides himself had said the decision “essentially abolishes the audit service and democracy”, adding that it “puts a corset, a gag, on the audit office.”
“It is a black day for Cyprus and a black day for our service,” he said.
Savvides had in turn warned those decrying the decision to read it before passing judgment.
“A court order has been issued and I just want to emphasise that it is important to support the [Republic’s] institutions, and to show the required respect to the Supreme Constitutional Court. Woe betide us if we lose faith in the courts,” he said.