The government is facing strong criticism over how it is handling the football clubs that have failed to repay their debts on the pre-arranged schedule, yet are being allowed to stay in state repayment schemes.

The tax commissioner has been given permission to agree on new repayment arrangements with the clubs, but only if he is satisfied they will stick to them, Finance Minister Makis Keravnos confirmed on Tuesday.

“In their announcement yesterday, the four clubs said they had reached a deal with the tax commissioner to repay part of their debts and rejoin the plan. If that’s the case, and he’s satisfied, then the agreement can go ahead,” Keravnos told CyBC radio.

His comments came just a day after the House finance committee was informed that indictments would be updated against the clubs and agents who had failed to pay new debts. Tuesday’s decision signals a more flexible approach, as long as concrete commitments are made.

The issue has grown wider after news broke that the Cyprus football association (CFA) gave Uefa written guarantees that all clubs were financially compliant, even though five clubs were behind on tax repayments and seven had not paid social insurance contributions.

The finance ministry sent this data to the CFA on Monday. But by then, the CFA had already informed Uefa last Friday that all clubs had met the necessary financial standards. The ministry later said this claim was “premature and misleading”.

The CFA insisted that it had not received official figures by its deadline. But finance officials said the CFA knew the information would only arrive on Monday. The fallout sparked strong reactions in parliament.

Disy MP Chrysis Pantelides accused authorities of “taking Uefa for a ride”. Akel MP Aristos Damianou described the episode as “blatant political match-fixing”.

Meanwhile, questions have been raised about the role of club auditors and how financial compliance was confirmed without updated evidence. The clubs involved – Ael, Apoel, Apollon, Anorthosis and Ethnikos Achna – did not qualify for European competitions this season. But they now face further penalties, such as transfer bans, points deductions, or even exclusion from future Uefa tournaments. The tax commissioner said any return to the repayment plan must be signed off by the cabinet. He added that strict financial checks will be required to ensure accountability, especially in light of public concern.

The finance ministry has also asked for legal advice on the responsibilities and powers of both the government and the tax commissioner in these cases.