Political backlash follows appointments to semi-governmental boards in Cyprus

The Cypriot government is facing intense criticism following the announcement of new board appointments for semi-governmental organizations. The opposition party AKEL has condemned the process, alleging a total abandonment of meritocracy and the marginalization of left-wing candidates. Critics have highlighted reports that several individuals were appointed despite never submitting applications to the Advisory Council, leading to accusations that the council is being used merely as a facade for political favoritism. Furthermore, labor unions identified a conflict of interest regarding a specific board member at the state telecommunications organization, Cyta, resulting in that appointment being revoked.

Government officials, including Deputy Government Spokesman Giannis Antoniou, have defended the process, noting that 74 out of 95 appointments—approximately 78%—were based on the Advisory Council's recommendations. They maintain that the current system represents an improvement over past practices. Meanwhile, the political friction has intensified as parties including DIKO, EDEK, and DISY have been drawn into debates regarding the distribution of positions. The issue has been referred to the Parliamentary Committee on Institutions, where further investigations into the transparency and integrity of the selection process are expected to take place.