By Rafaella Dimitriades
Serious allegations of misconduct and procedural violations have been raised concerning recent hiring decisions at the Municipality of Polis Chrysochous, following a complaint submitted by Deputy Mayor of Kritou Terra, Dervis Charalambous.
In a formal letter addressed to the Minister of the Interior and the Auditor General, Mr. Charalambous claims that municipal authorities engaged in abuse of power, poor administration, and unlawful decision-making during council meetings related to the employment and subsequent permanent appointment of seasonal workers.
The controversy centers on the approval of permanent positions for several municipal laborers, including four individuals whose parents serve as deputy mayors. According to the complaint, those same deputy mayors took part in the voting process, despite having a direct personal interest in the outcome.
Mr. Charalambous stated that the workers in question were originally hired as seasonal employees for general duties under salary scale E5–6, alongside others employed by a previous municipal council. A vote held on February 26, 2025, determined whether the employees would remain in their positions or whether new posts should be advertised through an open competition.
During that vote, the council reportedly split evenly: eight deputy mayors supported opening new positions and launching a new recruitment process, while eight favored retaining the existing workers. The mayor ultimately cast the deciding vote, resulting in the continuation of the same employees.
A further issue raised in the complaint relates to the duration of the seasonal workers’ contracts. Mr. Charalambous argues that their employment was unlawfully extended beyond the nine-month limit stipulated in their contracts. He noted that, during a Municipal Council meeting on December 22 held to approve the 2026 budget, a proposal was introduced based on requests from trade unions SEK and PEO to permanently appoint temporary seasonal workers who had completed twelve consecutive months of service. However, he maintains that reaching the twelve-month threshold was itself the result of an illegal extension.
The matter escalated further during the most recent council meeting, where Mr. Charalambous claims a second unlawful vote took place. According to his account, the four deputy mayors whose children were included among the proposed permanent appointments were again present during the process. After some members left the meeting, the council approved the permanent appointment of 17 seasonal workers. Mr. Charalambous also alleged that official minutes detailing the vote were not circulated, and that only the mayor’s announcement of a majority decision was communicated.
Responding to the allegations, Mayor Yiotis Papachristofi declined to address the substance of the claims but stated that Mr. Charalambous is entitled to submit a letter and raise concerns for review by the appropriate authorities. He emphasized that anyone has the right to express their views and request an investigation.
*Read the Greek version here.
