Apostolos Tomaras
The Auditor General of the Republic has issued a series of significant recommendations in his report concerning the operations of the House of Representatives for the year 2023. The findings include issues related to the renovation of House facilities, the purchase of electrical appliances, and an official visit to London by the House President.
According to the report, total expenditures of the House in 2023 amounted to €29,419,499, while revenues were just €24,948. Among the issues raised were irregularities in the management of state funding granted to political parties. As with other government departments, the House does not maintain an asset register, nor does it carry out physical inventories.
According to the Treasury’s “Manual for Official Travel Abroad,” civil servants on duty travel should avoid staying in luxury hotels, as the state is responsible for the actual cost
Furniture procurement
The Auditor General found that the House spent €77,500 (including VAT) on the renovation and upgrade of the Parliament’s canteen and atrium through a direct award contract, using a negotiated procedure without prior publication, an exceptional and rarely used process.
What stands out is that the architect/designer of the project also served as the director of the contractor company that supplied the furniture, a company selected following his own recommendation. The Auditor General was not convinced by the reasons cited by House services for bypassing the standard tender process.
House officials justified the direct award by claiming that the project design required specific, high-quality furniture and materials tailored to the modern aesthetic and functional needs of the space and in harmony with the architecture of the Parliament building.
Air conditioning units
The House also made a fast-tracked purchase of air conditioning units for the atrium. The contract was awarded to the company offering the lowest price (€60,620 plus VAT). However, the installation was completed before the necessary additional funds were officially approved. The invoice and payment request are dated August 3, 2023, while payment was authorized on September 1 and finalized on September 6, 2023.
The London trip
In 2023, the House budget included €750,000 earmarked for “Conferences, Seminars, and Foreign Missions.” An additional €210,000 in funds was later allocated, bringing the total to €960,000. Actual spending for the year reached €962,476, exceeding the budget and marking a 33.3% increase compared to €722,201 in 2022.
The report makes specific reference to an official working visit by the House President to London from July 2 to 5, 2023, as part of bilateral parliamentary exchanges.
She was accompanied by eight individuals: five House officials, two Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation staff (a journalist and a cameraman), and one security officer. All stayed in the same luxury hotel in London as the House President.
Her three-night stay cost €3,621, while the total accommodation cost for her entourage came to €15,172.
According to the Treasury’s “Manual for Official Travel Abroad,” civil servants on duty travel should avoid staying in luxury hotels, as the state is responsible for the actual cost of their accommodation.
The Auditor General recommends that the House seek alternative, more cost-effective lodging options for accompanying officials, unless luxury accommodations are deemed absolutely necessary.
*This article was translated from its Greek original
