Bill seeks donor transparency for social support body

A bill was tabled in parliament on Thursday aiming to make the independent social support body more transparent by obliging it to publish the names of donors along with the contribution amounts.

The charity was initially set up in 2014 to offer financial assistance to disadvantaged students. It is chaired ex-officio by whoever happens to be the spouse of the president.

Since 2023, the body has been chaired by Philippa Karsera, the current president’s wife.

Karsera formally resigned from the charity on January 12 this year, shortly following the release of a video online alleging that cash donations were made to the presidency in exchange for access and influence. The social support body got an oblique mention in the video.

In the clip, after seemingly boasting about his personal access to President Nikos Christodoulides, Cyfield CEO Giorgos Chrysochos is heard saying: “So we gave her [the first lady] €10,000 every year. It’s not much, but we support other initiatives as well. I have to pay, I’d say, €250,000 every year on donations.”

Driven exclusively by private donations, the charity has no cap on the contributions. Individuals or corporate entities may donate.

In a report published last November, the Audit Office said the fund gives the impression of being a charity-for-influence scheme.

“There exists a relationship – or there appears to be a relationship – of influence and/or the expectation of benefit,” the auditor-general said at the time.

The body’s chairperson does not need to be the first lady of the day – although she is the first choice. The cabinet nominates the first lady for the position. If she refuses, the cabinet nominates another individual of “high repute and good standing”.

According to the charity’s rules, it cannot convene to conduct official business without a chairperson.

Earlier, MPs had tried to get the government to release the names of the donors as well as the amounts. But the state treasurer, citing a legal opinion from the attorney-general, declined.

Now, a bill co-sponsored by Disy MP Nikos Georgiou and independent MP Costis Efstathiou aims to introduce safeguards so that the charity conducts its business transparently.

Under the proposal, there would be a ceiling on donations of €50,000 per year – applying to individuals and companies alike.

The body’s chair would no longer be the first lady, but a person of “high repute and good standing”.

Next, the body would keep records of its revenues – logging donor information, the donation amounts, and the date contributions are made.

The charity’s management committee will be obliged to post on its website a list of the donors in any given year, as well as any donations of over €500, plus donors’ overall contributions during the year.

Donations under €500 may not be disclosed. For donations above that amount, the charity must obtain beforehand the donor’s written consent for the disclosure.

If a donor does not give their consent, the charity will not accept the donation.

A separate bill had previously been tabled regarding the charity. This one intends to abolish the charity altogether.