Audit office reform will plough on – justice minister

Efforts to reform the legal service and audit office will plough ahead as planned, without any changes, Justice Minister Marios Hartsiotis said on Friday.

In statements to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), Hartsiotis emphasised that the recent decision to dismiss Auditor-General Odysseas Michaelides will not affect the reforms, as they focus on institutional changes rather than individuals.

A previously scheduled meeting between Hartsiotis and Michaelides, set for September 23 to discuss the bills related to the audit office’s reforms, has been cancelled due to the recent developments.

However, the minister will meet with deputy auditor-general Kyriacos Kyriacou on September 24.

The minister said all relevant institutions will be briefed as it concerns serious constitutional issues.

There may also be a first point of contact with political parties before they go to the legal service and eventually head to parliament.

The audit office has been openly critical about the reforms, arguing they are simply an attempt to stifle its work. The bills are understood to propose setting up a council within the service to approve any reports.

Regarding the Legal Service, the reforms aim to eliminate the dual role of the attorney-general, who currently serves as both the state prosecutor and the government’s legal advisor.

According to the EU Commission which has flagged the matter in its last two Rule of Law reports, this hampers the independence of the legal service.