Investigator to look into state treasurer’s actions over slaughterhouse

The cabinet has appointed an investigator to launch a disciplinary probe into state treasurer Rea Georgiou, media reports said on Wednesday.

According to state broadcaster CyBC, the cabinet appointed the defence ministry’s permanent secretary, Andreas Louca, to investigate allegations that Georgiou stopped a cheque deposited by her husband’s company as guarantee of faithful execution of an agreement with the government, just hours after it was deposited in the government account.

The €54,000 cheque was deposited after her husband’s slaughterhouse and animal waste processing plant Cypra failed to honour a 2015 animal waste processing contract with the veterinary services.

Georgiou had denied any wrongdoing and said there was a court order which prohibited the seizure of the guarantee pending conclusion of the case and that the treasury, according to the constitution, is the state authority managing court orders.

She also said that at the time, to avoid any actions that would suggest conflict of interest, she had recused herself from the process.

 

 

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