Auditor-General Odysseas Michaelides was fired on Wednesday following a Supreme Constitutional Court decision, as he called the outcome a “black day for Cyprus.”

In a unanimous ruling, a panel of eight judges found his conduct had been inappropriate and thus he was unfit for his duties.

The 209-page decision was hard-hitting, saying Michaelides repeatedly misinformed the public, crossed the line and did not even do the bare minimum his role demands of him in terms of conduct.

“It is with sorrow that we observe the auditor general did not limit himself the way he should. He showed a complete lack of self-restraint,” Supreme Constitutional Court President Antonis Liatsos said.

Judges ruled his repeated clash with officials on social media reflected a “thoughtless and dangerous” approach, while they said Michaelides operated without objectivity.

He was found to have repeatedly sought to undermine Attorney-General George Savvides’ legal opinions, often rebutting with his own interpretation of legal readings.

The judges determined Michaelides operated out of malice. He was described as engaging in a rhetoric that was rife with irony and enmity.

Michaelides emerged from the court saying he was leaving “with a clear conscience” and the result of his dismissal was part of an effort to see him removed which began four years ago by former President Nicos Anastadies and the legal service.

It was an effort “that the incumbent President of the Republic joined in on.”

Shortly after, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis refuted the allegation, saying the court’s decision was respected. As acting President, due to Christodoulides’ absence, House President Annita Demetriou then signed the dismissal.

THE COURT’S DECISION IN FULL

Political parties charged the decision was a blow to transparency and efforts to uncover corruption.

Akel, the Greens, Diko and Volt expressed their concern over the message the decision would send, as they described Michaelides as an official who exposed corruption and advocated for transparency.

Disy said it would not delve into the specifics of the case but it was sad that matters had reached such a point.

“The decision is a very negative development, a blow to the independent institution of the Auditor General, and a serious blow to transparency, public accountability and oversight in our country,” Akel said.

Michaelides had been in the post for 10 years, and become a controversial figure in Cyprus politics. He butted heads repeatedly with government officials, making him popular with members of the public.

“It is clear to me that I have clashed with the system and today the system, via the decision you heard, managed to behead me, presenting me as by far, the worst official in the history of the Republic,” Michaelides said.

The decision is a gag on the audit office, and a blow to free speech, he added.

Included in the judges’ decision was reference to a contentious Facebook page supporting Michaelides.

Though his defence had argued he has no say or involvement with the page, and this was never doubted, the ruling specified that “as a matter of respect and responsibility” Michaelides should have handled it differently, and at the very least asked the moderators to remove his picture.

“It is a black day for Cyprus and it is a blow for society’s demand to clampdown on corruption,” Michaelides said.

The decision covered a slew of clashes between Michaelides and Savvides ranging from the golden passports, the University of Cyprus dean and his daughter, as well as a complaint to the anti-corruption authority for the deputy AG.

Citing the auditor-general’s stance during discussions on multiple pensions, the judges said “he targetted the AG and showed lack of objectivity.”

Michaelides was found to have “insulted Savvides” and suggested the rule of law “was threatened by the AG – the top official that is supposed to uphold it.”

Judges also ruled Michaelides “brutally violated the deputy attorney general’s right to innocence” in the way he handled the complaint filed to the anti-corruption authority.

Though the auditor-general argued his attitude was a result of the threatening attitude he was subject to from the legal service, the judges said if Michaelides felt slighted, he should have demonstrated self-restraint and behaved in a manner befitting his position.

Savvides filed the case to the Supreme Constitutional Court in April, seeking to have Michaelides’ fired for inappropriate conduct.

The now former auditor general left the possibility open of appealing the decision to the European Court of Human Rights, but vowed to continue his fight against corruption.

In his farewell speech at his office, Michaelides said he could not stomach that he would bid goodbye to his colleagues nor that there were clear efforts to gag the audit office.

As a consequence of the decision, it was clear that each and every one of the staffers should watch their every word, he said.