Ayia Napa mayor Christos Zanettou will appear in Famagusta Criminal Court on July 12, in a forgery case against him for using EU funds to upgrade a hotel in the area more than a decade ago, it emerged on Thursday.
According to the case heard in Famagusta District Court, Zanettou is being charged with taking €765,000 in EU funds 12 years ago to give an Ayia Napa hotel a facelift.
The mayor, who was re-elected to the same post on Sunday, faces charges of fraud and misuse of funds.
Following Thursday’s hearing, Zanettou was released on €100,000 bail.
Meanwhile, the interior ministry will request an opinion from the attorney-general for an interpretation of the new law that will come into force on July 1, on whether the mayor should be suspended.
Commenting on the matter on Wednesday, permanent secretary of the interior ministry Ellikos Elias said: “I intend to ask for an opinion from the legal service, in order to interpret the law as it stands, to see the offences against him and what exactly the mayor of Ayia Napa is accused of, in cooperation with the police and to report whether or not a case arises.”
He added that from the information he has, it appears that the case involves events whose investigation has been completed by the police.
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