Advisory council for president

President Nicos Christodoulides on Monday assigned to a former supreme court judge the task of preparing a proposal on the operation of an advisory council which will recommend names for certain positions in the broader public sector.

A statement from the president’s office said that Christodoulides met at the palace with George Arestis, a former supreme court judge. Arestis also served on the European Court of Justice from 2004 to 2014.

Creating an advisory council was part of Christodoloulides’ election campaign manifesto.

The statement added that the establishment of an advisory council “comes within the context of participatory democracy and reform of institutions”.

The body will comprise “personalities of high standing” and will have the responsibility for preparing an appointments list, which it will submit to the government.

Initially the council will have jurisdiction over appointments to semi-governmental organisations.

“Based on the advisory council’s recommendations, the executive will appoint the members of semi-governmental organisations. The list of persons, whom the council will recommend, will arise from an open process of calls for expressions of interest.”