Police union criticizes MEP Fidias Panayiotou over personal guard recruitment

Nikos Loizidis, president of the police branch of the ISOTITA union, stated that MEP Fidias Panayiotou committed an error by inviting police officers to submit resumes for his personal security detail. Loizidis emphasized that politicians do not have the authority to select their own security guards, as these decisions are strictly regulated and fall under the purview of the Chief of Police. The union president cautioned officers against submitting resumes, warning that doing so could potentially lead to disciplinary actions for violating institutional protocols. He explained that the official process involves recommendations from a police committee to the Minister, followed by final approval from the Council of Ministers. Loizidis stated that he contacted the MEP privately to express his disagreement with the public call for applications. He believes that the union's intervention effectively discouraged officers from participating in this irregular recruitment process. The formal selection process remains the only valid path for staffing the security of political figures.