Director General of Deputy Ministry of Tourism faces three-month suspension

Neophytos Papadopoulos, the Director General of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, is set to file an objection to the Public Service Commission (PSC) by Thursday regarding a proposal for his three-month suspension. The proposal was initiated by Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis. Legal counsel for the Director General, Chris Triantafyllides, argues that the move is unconstitutional as it originates from an unauthorized body. Government sources indicate the friction began in March, stemming from a fundamental disagreement over tourism strategy following a drone strike at Akrotiri. Koumis reportedly assessed that the incident created a tourism crisis, a view that Papadopoulos contested. Government officials stated that multiple attempts to reconcile the different approaches to the situation were unsuccessful. The dispute highlights a persistent conflict in philosophy and management within the Ministry. The PSC is expected to review the objection following the submission deadline.