The auditor-general Odysseas Michaelides often censures ministers publicly for not following correct procedures or overstepping the boundaries of their authority. But what happens when he does the same? Can anyone censure him or is he untouchable, because – as he likes to say – he is an independent state official and as such accountable to nobody.

On Monday at the legislature, he acted like a deputy, castigating the government’s decision to purchase two buildings, which he claimed were grossly overpriced, to house ministries and other state services. He also put forward the suggestion that the government should build its own offices on state land instead of buying buildings from developers.

No expertise in constitutional law is needed to know that the auditor-general is overstepping his powers in telling the executive what it should do regarding the housing of state services. As auditor-general he audits and does not have the authority to dictate decisions to the executive, even if he regards himself smarter and more honest than the members of the executive. His perceived personal qualities do not give him power to tell the executive what decisions it should take.

According to Haravghi, Michaelides told deputies at the House finance committee not to approve the expenditure for the two buildings that was included in the 2022 state budget. “What is happening is scandalous, our recommendation is to for you to reject the request,” he was quoted as telling deputies. In what capacity was he giving this recommendation to the legislature?

Regarding the 16-storey Metropolitan building in central Nicosia, Michaelides claimed the state would pay €1 million more than the evaluation of the Department of Lands and Surveys, which nevertheless said the €21.3 million was a reasonable price (it was 5 per cent higher than its valuation). There had also been a tenders’ procedure, the two buildings being chosen from 12 submitted. Michaelides should deal with the tangible – establish if there were irregularities in the tenders’ procedure – instead of acting as an arbiter of ‘fair’ real estate prices, overruling the Department of Lands and Surveys’ valuation.

Michaelides’ real gripe is that the executive never listened to his advice made over the years for the government to undertake construction of government buildings on state land. The state as developer is a recipe for disaster. The state would lose a lot more money from delays, poor project management than it would save on the cost of the land. Nicosia general hospital, which was managed by the state services, ended up going about €70 million over budget because of corruption and incompetence.

This would be guaranteed to happen if the government undertook the management of the construction of government buildings as the auditor-general has advised, claiming misleadingly that it would cost less.