POLITICIANS yesterday upped the ante over the row involving Justice Minister Doros Theodorou and Panicos Kyriacou, the former director of the Central Prison, leading to another confrontation between the pro-government parties and the opposition.
Earlier in the week, DISY deputy Andreas Papapoliviou charged that the Justice Minister was fostering mass cronyism in the prisons department, personally taking an interest in the hiring or promotions of individuals. At a news conference, the deputy produced handwritten notes by Theodorou apparently asking the former director to consider certain persons’ requests for positions in the department.
For his part, Theodorou did not deny the notes (in facsimile form) were genuine, but contended that he was merely asking Kyriacou for clarifications on appointments after certain applicants had voiced complaints.
Opposition DISY did not buy into Theodorou’s explanation, with party boss Nicos Anastassiades yesterday saying that this was a very unorthodox, if not suspicious, way for a minister to request information from a subordinate.
“Why did he (Theodorou) not write a letter asking for specific details etc?” wondered Anastassiades.
“Besides, if that was the really the case, as Mr Theodorou contends, then was this really so big as to warrant a meeting between the minister and the President?
“They (the government) are insulting people’s intelligence.”
Anastassiades was referring to Thursday’s meet at the Presidential Palace, after which both President Papadopoulos and Theodorou gave enigmatic answers about what transpired during their conversation.
For example, asked whether he considered the matter closed, Papadopoulos said:
“Do you expect me to tell you that?”
Still, the media speculated that Papadopoulos’ backing of Theodorou was implicit. Meanwhile pro-government parties AKEL and DIKO came out unequivocally in support of the minister, attributing the allegations against him to a concerted campaign by DISY to undermine the administration.
AKEL spokesman Andros Kyprianou went a step further and attacked Kyriacou, suggesting he was biased against people with leftist sympathies.
“Is it a coincidence that all 10 of the prison officers maligned by Kyriacou are affiliated to either AKEL or EDEK?” he asked.
Apparently Kyriacou, a day prior to stepping down, had drawn up highly critical reports on 10 wardens, claiming that some of them were consorting with criminals, hiding drugs in their office or else suffered from psychological problems.
But while the former prison director protested he was only doing his job, Theodorou turned the tables and said these actions were discriminatory and libellous.
“That was an utterly indescribable thing to do,” the Justice Minister said yesterday in Paphos. He added that the 10 officers’ career prospects could have been “irreparably damaged”.
Theodorou had also given the impression that his nemesis Kyriacou was way in over his head with authorities. When the spat broke out, he claimed that Kyriacou was being investigated by the Attorney-general’s office (on possible mistreatment of the 10 wardens) and also by the Auditor-general on mismanagement of state funds.
But newly appointed Attorney-general Petros Clerides yesterday painted a different picture, explaining that his office had merely been asked for its legal opinion by the Justice Ministry.
In any case, Clerides told CyBC radio, the matter was tagged “non urgent”.
A further blow to Theodorou’s credibility seemed to come from Auditor-general Chrystalla Yiorkadji, who denied a probe into Kyriacou specifically was under way.
Quizzed by journalists, Yiorkadji said that the reference to mismanagement at the prisons department was part of her office’s annual report. Her office did not have the jurisdiction to investigate individuals anyway, she added.
According to Yiorkadji, the report established minor “shortcomings” in the management of funds at the prisons, but there was no recommendation for further inquiries.
One journalist in particular took exception to Theodorou’s take on the story. When he pressed the minister that his handwritten notes clearly indicated he was asking for someone’s promotion, Theodorou retorted: “I think I know how to read my own handwriting better than anyone else.”
The journalist replied: “Yes, sir, you can indeed read Greek… and it seems you’re trying to take us for a ride.”
