Supreme court to decide on auditor general's dismissal objection

At 9:30 a.m. on June 5, the Council of the Supreme Constitutional Court will announce its decision on a preliminary objection raised by Auditor General Odysseas Michaelides. The objection pertains to a case initiated by Attorney General George Savvidis, who seeks Michaelides' dismissal for misconduct.

Following the conclusion of arguments on May 29, Supreme Constitutional Court President Antonis Liatsos stated that the council would deliver its decision on the objection on June 5. Liatsos emphasized the need for all parties to be ready for any outcome.

During the proceedings, lawyers from both sides presented their arguments regarding the preliminary objection. According to a report in "K," the objection is based on Michaelides' view that the Constitution does not explicitly grant the Attorney General the authority to seek the Auditor General's dismissal.

Michaelides' legal team argued that accepting the Attorney General's request would constitute a constitutional aberration. They also contended that a previous case involving Erotokritos should not be considered a precedent. In that case, the council decided that the Attorney General had the jurisdiction to request a dismissal, a decision Michaelides' team believes was incorrect.

Additionally, Judge Nikolas Sandis recused himself due to his son's employment at a law firm involved in the case. Conflict of interest issues were also raised concerning two other council members, whose personal cases were handled by the law firms Kallis and Triantafyllidis. However, no objections were filed regarding their exclusion from the council.

The upcoming decision will have significant implications for the roles and powers of the Attorney General and Auditor General in Cyprus.