Journalist Aristides Vikettos’ lawyer on Monday called on Archbishop Georgios to come clean over allegations which prompted the head of the church to sue for libel.

Vikettos was sued for claiming the archbishop and Bishop Isaias had clinched an agreement in 2022 before the archbishopric elections.

The archbishop’s lawsuit “shows a complete lack of respect towards freedom of speech”, Vikettos’ lawyer Paris Loizou said in a statement.

He added the previous archbishop had never moved to take any similar action against members of the press.

Loizou called on the archbishop to confirm or deny Vikettos’ allegations over the deal by Monday.