Attorney General George Savvides would be happy to see Auditor General Odysseas Michaelides “completely annihilated,” the Supreme Constitutional Court heard on Tuesday.

The statement was made by Michaelides as he took the stand in a case filed by the AG to have him dismissed on the grounds of inappropriate conduct.

Michaelides painted a picture of “total enmity” in 2020 during investigations into the golden passports, which also came from former President Nicos Anastasiades himself.

Nonetheless, he explained that when the disagreements began with Savvides, he believed they were limited to “institutional differences, which were sometimes in crisis.

“On my part, there is no personal issue with the AG,” he said. Michaelides added that he believed the same was true for Savvides but things changed in May 2023 when the Audit Office filed a case to the anti-corruption authority.

This led to direct threats from Savvides, Michaelides said, about his dismissal and insinuations of him committing a criminal offence which comes with a seven-year prison term.

When the dismissal case was eventually filed to the Supreme Constitutional Court, Michaelides said “I never believed the AG could say such things.”

The filing referred to Michaelides as lacking any dignity or honour, and he was a man of arrogance who drags individuals and institutions through the mud.

Even when he read the application Savvides submitted for his dismissal, he thought it may be “an aggressive line taken up by the lawyers.”

But it was when the AG took the stand that Michaelides became completely convinced Savvides “would be happy to see me completely annihilated.”

“I feel disappointed and bitter.”

Under cross examination, Michaelides said: “I never called the attorney-general corrupt, never insinuated that he is corrupt, nor do I believe he is corrupt.

“The picture he painted of me is that I am the worst ever official in the history of the Republic since 1960.”

The auditor-general conceded that in the past he may have been intense in discussions he had with ministers such as late Interior Minister Socratis Hasikos, but he never passed acceptable limits.

During cross examination, Savvides’ lawyer Dinos Kallis was interrupted by the Supreme Constitutional Court president who called on him to address the auditor-general with due respect and refer to him in polite plural “as he does when speaking to you.”

Michaelides was also asked by Kallis whether he would consider a future in politics to which the auditor general rejected, specifying that it was not relevant to the case in question.

Kallis put to the auditor general that he sought to create online fan pages that support him, as well as create close ties with newspapers and create a campaign smearing the AG and his deputy.

Michaelides rejected the allegation, saying he bore no responsibility for whatever Facebook pages said, nor even for what his son and sister post online – as Kallis had suggested.

Anyone that takes offence by published material can take a legal recourse for libel, he said.

Michaelides also told court popularity is not the driving force behind his work and he has on numerous occasions published reports that have put him on the opposite end of popularity.

Amid numerous back-and-forth’s with Kallis, Michaelides sought to clarify that just because the Audit Office issues a report that identifies shortcomings of a ministry or official, or even suggests there may be criminal offences, this is not an attack on an individual.

This is simply the Audit Office carrying out its constitutional duty. Similarly, highlighting the dual role of the AG is not an attack on Savvides, but issues it raises because it affects the Audit Office’s independence.

Tuesday’s hearing lasted for around three-and-a-half hours and will continue on Wednesday.

The hearing began with the Supreme Constitutional Court rejecting an objection put forth by Savvides’ team regarding evidence submitted for the case.

During the previous day’s hearing, Savvides’ lawyers argued Michaelides’ 171-page witness statement refers to a case which is still being investigated by the anti-corruption authority.

Court decided the evidence would be accepted but names redacted.

The evidence pertains to an investigation into deputy attorney-general Savvas Angelides’ alleged conflicts of interest, for which former drug squad chief Michalis Katsounotos had been called to the Anti-Corruption Authority to testify.

Katsounotos has refused to answer any questions in the investigation and Savvides has refused to initiate proceedings against him for it.