Cypriot football giants Omonia on Friday said archrivals Apoel receive “preferential treatment” from the state, as the debate regarding unpaid taxes heats up.

Omonia’s statement comes after Apoel were, alongside Ael, Apoel, Apollon, Anorthosis, and Ethnikos Achna, invited to a meeting with Cyprus Football Association (CFA) chairman Giorgos Koumas and tax commissioner Sotiris Markides on Wednesday.

“The clubs state they did not request preferential treatment, but the issue is not what you say, but what you do. For years, and even today, they have been enjoying preferential treatment as, despite having budgets in the millions, they do not pay either their current tax obligations or the instalments on settlements of old debts to the state,” they said.

They added that despite this, the five clubs have “not faced any consequences whatsoever”, and “at the same time, our fellow people are being prosecuted even for small amounts” of tax debt.

“The fact that you have after so many years been forced to pay what you owe should not make you feel that you are being wronged. You ran these debts up yourselves, stop behaving like victims,” they said.

They also criticised the CFA for “failing to play the role of a guardian by covering up for those who break the rules”, and asked, “on what basis can we believe that things will somehow be different this time?”

“Our only motive is that there be a fair championship, with healthy competition, and all teams being treated equally. It is obvious that some are bothered by this effort. Equality, transparency, and compliance with the rules must be non-negotiable principles. Anything less will continue to harm the sport, the teams, and the fans,” they said.

Omonia’s statement came after the five clubs had publicly defended themselves, saying they had simply submitted a “proposal with the aim of finding a formula for repaying the overdue debts”, and that they had neither requested that the debt be cancelled, nor that they receive preferential treatment.

They added that they “fully recognise” their debts and their obligation to repay them, and that they are now awaiting the government’s position on their proposal.

“Positions which attempt to create impressions at the expense of our efforts, but also at the expense of the government’s efforts … to find a solution as somehow being led by ulterior motives are made with the attempt to disorient public opinion,” they said.

Referring to Omonia’s distaste at not being invited to the meeting, they said, “neither the state nor our clubs require ‘monitors’ at these meetings since no agreement will be made in secret”.

“We asked [CFA chairman Giorgos Koumas] to participate in the meeting as part of our effort to demonstrate in practice our intention to find a solution which, in any case, the CFA will undertake the role of the guardian of its implementation,” they said.