Odysseas Michaelides announces renunciation of civil service pension

On May 29, 2026, the leader of the ALMA movement and former Auditor General, Odysseas Michaelides, formally notified the Minister of Finance of his decision to renounce his civil service pension. The renunciation covers both his current monthly pension of approximately 2,270 euros gross and a future supplemental pension of roughly 1,000 euros per month, which he would have been eligible for upon turning 60. Michaelides, who served 15.5 years as a public servant and 10.5 years as Auditor General, described the decision as a moral obligation. He also announced plans to propose legislation requiring that all funds from such pension renunciations be transferred to the State Scholarship Foundation to support students and young researchers. This development follows broader discussions in the Cypriot Parliament regarding the complex legal status of multiple pensions, which are often considered protected property rights under Article 23 of the Constitution. Meanwhile, other officials, including Member of Parliament Savia Orphanidou, have also initiated processes to renounce or redirect their pension entitlements in accordance with recently enacted legislation.