Newsroom
A whistleblower head councilor in Paphos district has been relieved of his duties this week by the interior minister, who has placed the local council of Kouklia under the administration of the district chief officer following pandemonium in the heavily-audited community.
Interior Minister Nicos Nouris on Wednesday removed Kouklia head councilor Michalis Nicolaou from his position citing a long and protracted “worrying situation” according to local media, with reports saying Chief Officer Mary Lambrou took over until the next council elections in December.
Members of the Kouklia council have been accusing each other of wrongdoing, after the head councilor filed complaints with the state’s attorney general as well as law enforcement
Local media said Nicolaou was handed a formal letter informing him of Nouris’ decision, citing pandemonium within the leadership of the community including previous warnings for cooler heads to prevail.
Members of the Kouklia council have been accusing each other of wrongdoing, while the head councilor proceeded to file complaints with the state’s attorney general as well as law enforcement.
Kouklia has been heavily audited along with dozens of other local community councils, with the Audit Office sifting through records including a suspicious case in 2012 where thousands of euro had been paid each month to a private company for consultations.
Nicolaou, who assumed his position in 2017, has filed several complaints in recent months, calling on authorities to examine records to uncover “sick practices” in local and municipal councils.
Fellow members have also launched accusations against the head councilor, who has openly supported auditing efforts in the district and has called for probe findings to be sent to the Attorney General’s office.
