Auditor-general submits 2019 report to president

President Nicos Anastasiades received the auditor-general Odysseas Michaelides on Monday who handed him the service’s annual report for 2019.

From a very short statement, it appears the two men did not make any comments worth reporting.

Anastasiades and Michaelides have been at loggerheads for quite some time over the latter’s authority.

The Presidential Palace has accused Michaelides of overstepping his constitutional powers by seeking to have a say in various aspects of governance.

Ο Πρόεδρος της Δημοκρατίας @Anastasiadescy παρέλαβε σήμερα από τον Γενικό Ελεγκτή κ. Οδυσσέα Μιχαηλίδη την ετήσια έκθεση της Ελεγκτικής Υπηρεσίας για το 2019. pic.twitter.com/qQV9dLQXPL

— Kyriacos J. Koushos (@KJKoushos) January 4, 2021

The latest round concerns a probe into the island’s controversial citizenship by investment programme, which Michaelides wants to investigate but the government has refused to hand over any information citing an ongoing criminal inquiry.

In December, opposition Diko caused the rejection of the state budget for 2021, insisting that all information must be handed over to Michaelides. Diko said it would not vote for the budget unless the auditor was allowed to probe the programme.

Michalides has been accused of letting the opposition use his office for political reasons. He has denied the accusations, arguing that whatever he did was well within his constitutional powers.