Newsroom
Paphos Mayor Phedonas Phedonos will remain suspended from his duties after the Administrative Court of Appeal rejected his request to temporarily lift his suspension while his broader legal challenge continues.
The suspension was imposed by the interior minister in February under the Municipalities Law, which requires a mayor to step aside if they are being investigated for certain serious criminal offenses. The allegation being investigated in Phedonos’ case concerns an offense that carries a potential life sentence if he is found guilty.
Phedonos challenged the decision in court, arguing that his suspension should be put on hold until the courts examine whether the measure itself was lawful.
However, both the lower administrative court and now the court of appeal ruled that there was no sufficient reason to temporarily freeze the decision.
The Appeal Court stressed that suspending a government decision is an exceptional step and is not meant to decide the entire case before all arguments have been fully examined.
The judges said that key issues raised by Phedonos, including whether the law was correctly applied, whether his rights were affected, and whether the legislation itself is constitutional, will be examined later during the main court case.
For now, the decision means Phedonos remains out of office, while the courts continue to examine the legality of his suspension.
