DEPUTY Attorney-general Akis Papasavvas yesterday returned, as promised, the money he had controversially received from the state to cover his expenses for teeth implants obtained at a private practice.
The deputy AG found himself at the centre of a maelstrom after daily Politis revealed he had applied for and swiftly received taxpayer money – €17,000 – to cover expenses for ten new teeth implants.
The story set off a debate on the extent of health care coverage to which state officials are entitled to. The paper said the law on state and public officials provides that they, their spouses and children are entitled to free dental care, but it is restricted to extractions and fillings carried out by government dentists.
Papasavvas has meantime been facing calls on him to resign – although the President indicated over the weekend that he felt such demands went too far.
Meanwhile the Health Ministry has launched an investigation to uncover the whereabouts of a missing document in Papasavvas’ medical file and to determine whether proper procedures were followed in approving the application, which was reportedly processed in record time.
The missing file contained a report by a panel of two state doctors, a craniofacial surgeon and dentist, with their verdict on whether Papasavvas was entitled to the money.
Police are also conducting a criminal investigation into the possible theft of the file.
Christodoulous Kaisis, of the governmental Health Services, has been tasked with supervising the ministry probe.
Pressed by newsmen for a comment yesterday, Kaisis said the investigation was ‘ongoing’ and it would be released as soon as it were finished.
Opposition party DISY yesterday kept up the pressure on Papasavvas, calling his application for expenses coverage a case of “preferential treatment”.
“This is clearly a political, not a personal issue,” said party MP Ionas Nicolaou, referring to the criticism piled on Papasavvas.
“If Mr. Papasavvas was not deputy Attorney-general and a personal friend of the President, would his application have been approved?
“The issue is so clear-cut…all those who cite the completion of investigations in order to take a stance, are under the illusion that it will go away.
“But the provocation is so great that we shall not allow it to be forgotten. Akis Papasavvas was appointed by President Christofias, and it is high time the President deals with the matter.”
