Former board member makes allegations against the Cyprus Youth Board

Sotos Vasiliou, a former member of the Cyprus Youth Board (ONEK) governing board, has publicly detailed the reasons behind his resignation, which occurred six months ago. In a written statement released on Monday, August 17, 2026, Vasiliou alleged that there was a lack of transparency regarding state subsidies granted to political youth organizations. He claims that original funding proposals from the organization's staff were frequently altered to increase the amounts allocated to specific political groups, leading to unaddressed concerns regarding conflicts of interest.

Beyond financial allegations, Vasiliou accused the President of ONEK, Ms. Achilleos, of interfering in staff competencies and frequently clashing with both personnel and board members. He reported that meetings were often postponed and that collective board decisions were ignored or blocked if they contradicted the President's personal views. Vasiliou decided to speak out now in response to recent public comments made by Ms. Achilleos, as he disputes the narrative that the appointment of three new board members would resolve the structural issues he previously identified. He maintains that the board became dysfunctional due to these internal conflicts and management practices, necessitating his departure to preserve his integrity.