Government spokesperson resigns amid expenses scandal

Deputy Government Spokesperson Doxa Komodromou has resigned following a row over her alleged rule-breaking in receiving expenses she wasn’t entitled to.

On Monday, a brief statement by the Presidency said that President Nikos Christodoulides had accepted Komodromou’s resignation without elaboration.

The overtime scandal had become an embarrassment for the government and fuel for the Opposition to accuse it of cronyism.

The development comes a week after the Auditor General told MPs of the House’s Ethics Committee that Komodromou was accredited over time for preparing eulogies for national anniversaries, funerals, and speeches.

Komodromou claimed the Auditor General was also being paid overtime for attending meetings of the Cabinet and accompanying President Christodoulides at press conferences, which were part of her job description.

Her appointment has been the subject of much scrutiny from the Audit Office shortly after the new government came into power in March.

Komodromou told Phileleftheros she had done nothing wrong or taken advantage of taxpayers’ money.

Auditor General Odysseas Michaelides flagged issues regarding Komodromou’s appointment, given her unwillingness to resign at the University of Cyprus, where she held an administrative post before being seconded to the government.

Michaelides had urged Komodromou to return payments of €2,486 for overtime claimed in March–May 2023.

A move by the government to bump up her pay with a €51,000 budget, including overtime, was blocked by MPs before being withdrawn.

He said Komodromou was not the only person working for the Presidency who received overtime compensation.

President Christodoulides’ secretary and the secretary to the First Lady Philippa Karseras have also submitted claims.

He told MPs the secretary to the First Lady was compensated for overtime work logged for accompanying Karseras to various events.