New PIO head after legal battle

Aliki Stylianou has been appointed director of the Press and Information Office (PIO), the Public Services Commission announced on Wednesday.

The position has remained vacant for the past two years after a legal battle for the post was judged in favour of Stylianou.

The commission said it had now decided to offer to Stylianou, who currently holds a role at the central bank, the PIO job retroactive from March 1, 2017.

In 2020 the court cancelled the 2017 appointment of then PIO director, Sophie Michaelides, arguing that the Public Services Commission had improperly exercised its discretion to choose her over Stylianou who was more qualified.

The judge upheld Stylianou’s case on all points, saying that the commission had ignored her advantage in the process.