Economist Stelios Platis was the forerunner for Cyprus’ new auditor-general that Diko MP Zacharias Koulias had planned to appoint this week, when he would have free rein as acting President of the Republic, it emerged on Monday.

Koulias’ plans were eventually scuppered by House President Annita Demetriou, however Platis confirmed he accepted the ‘offer’ – though he knew it would never actually happen.

“There was never a chance the establishment would let Koulias do anything of the sort,” Platis told the Cyprus Mail.

He got the call from Koulias on Monday morning and gave the affirmative.

Platis said he knew his appointment would never happen but he’d take on the post even without a salary for 12 months, and begin exposing issues surrounding golden passports, among others.

“I would start writing to the finance ministry and other stakeholders from the first day.”

Asked if he puts himself in the running for the auditor-general post, Platis said “I do not consider President Nikos Christodoulides, or the people around him, would dare propose a similar appointment.”

Nonetheless, if there was a way, he would gladly take on the role “and expose as much as I could, so people could pay for what they did to Cyprus’ economy and society.”

Platis said that although Koulias has been branded as a bit of a madman, he “sent a powerful political message” that Disy and the government are very much on the same side.

“Disy keeps saying it is an opposition party” but its party leader chose not to travel to Malta, so as to actively prevent Koulias from having a shot at implementing his plan.

“The masks are off.”

To that end, Platis said he was glad to have played a role in exposing Disy’s “true colours”.

He specified Koulias initially wanted someone from the audit office but realised it would be ‘self-decapitation’ for whoever would agree to that.

Koulias prompted upset over the weekend which continued through to Monday, when he declared that he would appoint an auditor-general of his choosing, after Odysseas Michaelides was fired from the post last week.

The appointment would come on Wednesday, when both President Nikos Christodoulides and Demetriou would be out of the country, leaving Koulias as the oldest member of parliament to take on the role as acting President.

He stated it was not a bluff and he would absolutely act on his decision, with the government at pains to try and avert the situation.

Koulias stated he would take over as acting president at 10.20 on Wednesday morning and at 10.21 would appoint a new official.

Eventually Demetriou announced she would not be travelling to Malta and therefore would stay on, thus preventing Koulias’ possibility of replacing Michaelides with a man of his choosing.

“Under the current circumstances I have decided to cancel my planned trip to Malta… We cannot allow a crisis to cause another crisis,” she said in a written statement.

Demetriou added situations should be handled with responsibility and Disy MP Harris Georgiades would be traveling in her stead.

Akel had reportedly considered backing Platis for the 2023 presidential elections, but eventually went for chief negotiator Andreas Mavroyiannis.