Supreme Court says CyBC boss improperly appointed

THE SUPREME Court has declared null and void the 2002 appointment of the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation’s (CyBC) Managing Director, following an appeal from two rejected candidates.

Michalis Stylianou and Michalis Zacharioglou had claimed that the appointment of Managing Director Marios Mavrikios was not conducted fairly.

Yesterday, the five-judge panel agreed that the CyBC board had not played fairly when they conducted hearings for the candidates.

Previously, the court had heard how the candidates had to undertake two interviews in front of the CyBC board.

The appellants claimed Mavrikios should not have been given the job because one of the board members was replaced just after Mavrikios had his first interview.

The new board member was then asked to leave by other board members when Mavrikios went for his second interview.

Stylianou and Zacharioglou argued that the board had given Mavrikios an advantage and that the new member should not have been asked to leave from the interview.

The Supreme Court judges yesterday concurred with the two appellant’s lawyers, saying the interviews were indeed “conducted badly”.

The decision come as a new blow to Mavrikios and his family, who recently had to cope with the tragic death of his 17-year-old son, killed in a hit-and-run incident on New Year’s Day.

The driver of the car has pleaded guilty to causing a death by means of negligent driving.
Just months later, Mavrikios’ nephew was involved in road accident himself in Paralimni resulting in the death of a British tourist.

He too is to face charges relating to causing death by negligence.

But Mavrikios could still get his position back, because he has the right to sit an interview again along with the two appellants.