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Former Auditor General and now leader of the ALMA political movement, Odysseas Michaelides, says he's the target of a political conspiracy aimed at silencing him for publicly criticizing President Nikos Christodoulides.
Speaking to reporters after giving testimony to the police on Friday, Michaelides claimed there is a coordinated effort to "politically exterminate" him, following a statement he made suggesting that someone close to the President knew in advance that the Supreme Court would rule against him.
Michaelides was summoned to explain these claims, made during a televised interview, but insists the investigation and the speed at which authorities acted are politically motivated.
“The issue of my prosecution was initiated by the Minister of Justice after my remarks that politically exposed the President. The conspiracy is now fully revealed,” he said.
He added that although he was invited to give what was described as a non-investigative statement, criminal proceedings were launched “in the blink of an eye,” expanding beyond one interview to include previous comments he made to other journalists.
Allegations of political bias
Michaelides didn’t hold back in criticizing Attorney General George Savvides and his assistant, claiming they are acting out of personal animosity and longstanding political alliances.
“The Attorney General, who has been friends with former President Anastasiades for 40 years, called me dishonest and undignified in court and in writing,” he said. “Now I’m being judged by people who were ministers in what DIKO’s own leader called ‘the most corrupt government’.”
He also accused current officials of pursuing him for political reasons tied to his past audits and criticism of state institutions.
ECHR in sight
Michaelides signaled that if he is prosecuted, he will immediately appeal to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), arguing that his right to freedom of expression is under threat.
“We have already informed the ECHR of recent developments,” he said. “If the prosecution moves forward, we will seek immediate protection from the court.”
His lawyer, Achilleas Emilianidis, submitted a memorandum claiming that the disciplinary council referenced in the case is not a judicial body, a distinction that, according to Michaelides, invalidates any justification for curtailing his freedom of speech.
“This cannot be the Cyprus we deserve,” he said as he left the police station.
