Public servants in Cyprus receive salaries while suspended for years

The annual report of the Public Service Commission (PSC) for 2025 has revealed that 21 public servants in Cyprus remain on suspension for years while continuing to receive a portion of their salaries. This practice is legally permitted as they retain their civil servant status throughout the duration of ongoing criminal or disciplinary investigations.

The most extreme case involves a senior official in the A14 pay scale who has been suspended for six and a half years. During this period, the individual has collected approximately €280,000 despite performing no work. PSC Chairman Giorgos Papageorgiou explained that the purpose of such suspensions is to ensure that investigations into disciplinary or criminal charges remain unhindered and to prevent officials from influencing witnesses or tampering with evidence.

The report, recently submitted to President Nikos Christodoulides, highlights growing concerns regarding the inefficiency of the justice system and the disciplinary process. Prolonged legal and administrative delays mean that the state continues to pay significant sums to suspended employees, a recurring issue that has prompted calls for a more streamlined approach to resolving these outstanding cases.