Appellate Court upholds suspension of Paphos Mayor Phedon Phedonos

On June 10, 2026, the Administrative Appellate Court of Cyprus rejected an appeal filed by Paphos Mayor Phedon Phedonos regarding his suspension from office. The court confirmed the legality of an earlier decision by the Administrative Court dated February 11, 2026, which had dismissed his request to stay the suspension. Phedonos was placed on automatic leave following a notification from the Minister of Interior published in the Official Gazette on February 5, 2026. This measure was triggered by an ongoing criminal investigation into serious offenses, which under national law mandate suspension for any mayor facing potential imprisonment of three years or more. While one source cited potential sentences of three years or more, another mentioned the possibility of life imprisonment. The Appellate Court ruled that no manifest illegality or irreparable damage was demonstrated by the applicant. The Attorney General’s office was represented by senior lawyer Theodora Piperi-Christodoulou and lawyer Simos Platis. The suspension will remain in effect until the final adjudication of the pending criminal case.