EU job for disgraced former minister

CYPRIOT EU Health and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Markos Kyprianou has chosen disgraced former Health Minister Dina Akkelidou as his personal advisor.

Akkelidou was forced to resign last year after she was convicted of interfering in the course of justice after appealing directly to a judge pleading leniency for a drug suspect.

The decision was announced in Brussels yesterday, but speaking to the Mail,
Commission sources clarified Akkelidou would not be paid and would only have
her travel costs and other expenses covered.

The sources said she would be providing “expert opinion” on an ad hoc basis, stressing this was not a full-time appointment and that she was not requested to work in Brussels.

The sources added all appointments of advisors (this is the only one by Kyprianou) were made on a Commission decision.

Kyprianou, they said, chose Akkelidou because he believes she did a good job when she was heading the state laboratory and has knowledge and experience on issues relating to his portofolio, such as health and safety of foodstuff.

However, the Commission refrained from commenting on the question of whether it
was appropriate for someone with a past conviction to become an advisor.

It also declined to respond to the question whether it might be concerned
how she may handle EU documents, given that, as minister, Akkelidou came under public scrutiny for ordering classified state material to be thrown away, only to be found by a journalist in black bags outside the ministry.

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