Cyprus Mail 29 March 2025 - by Charalambos Stylianou
Independent MEP Fidias Panayiotou hosted Paphos mayor Phedonas Phedonos in a live podcast discussion titled How to Change the System? on Friday. The event, held at the old EAC building in Paphos, attracted a live audience and was streamed across multiple platforms.
Following the discussion, attendees engaged in networking and informal conversations over refreshments. During the discussion, Panayiotou and Phedonos tackled inefficiencies in the public sector, exposing how government mismanagement is costing taxpayers millions. Panayiotou set the stage by revealing shocking employment statistics.
“Europe has 450 million people. Do you know how many public employees we have in Cyprus? Around 70,000. That’s nearly half the country working in the public sector,” he said.
“I wouldn’t mind if they were truly effective, but the reality is different. The public sector struggles daily with inefficiencies.”
Mayor Phedonos called out the government’s failure to cut excess spending, particularly in local administration.
“The goal is to highlight how money is being wasted unnecessarily. We were told that the newly formed district organisations and municipality reforms would reduce staff. Instead, we are witnessing an increase in recruitment. This is a mistake. The reform was poorly planned.”
The conversation exposed how public funds are being mismanaged. Phedonos explained how Cyprus’ leadership has prioritised bureaucracy over efficiency.
“In Cyprus, we need to understand what ‘efficiency’ means. No government or high-level bureaucracy prioritises it. But efficiency should be the key word for every leader—whether a mayor, minister, or president. It should be at the core of every decision.”
He criticised the slow progress of government projects and the lack of accountability.
“We hear a lot of talk about changing the country’s infrastructure. But when? In how many months? We need deadlines and accountability.”
Panayiotou pressed Phedonos on leadership, asking whether he led by example or simply voiced opinions.
“We need real leadership, not just words. The right people must be placed in the right positions. If we invest in education today, we may not see the benefits in two or three years, but in five, ten, or fifteen years, we will,” mayor Phedonos stated.
The mayor also highlighted the lack of consequences for corruption and inefficiency.
“People ask if the minister of transport is corrupt. From what I know, he is not. But if someone has been sitting on a committee for ten years, what have they done? Why weren’t those who were corrupt punished?”
Panayiotou concluded that time spent debating is time wasted unless there are strict procedures in place to ensure action. Phedonos agreed, stressing the importance of civic engagement. “People need to participate. Real change requires every individual to take responsibility. We can’t wait for others to fix the system. We must act.”
The live podcast provided an eye-opening discussion on how government inefficiency directly impacts citizens. With both speakers advocating for accountability, efficiency, and proactive leadership, the conversation underscored the urgent need for reform.
As the event wrapped up, the audience left with a powerful message—when governments fail to act, the public pays the price. Without real leadership and accountability, Cyprus will continue to waste money every single day.
