Filenews 10 February 2026 - by Fanis Makridis
The decision to suspend the Mayor of Paphos, Phedonas Phedonos (5/2), seems to be opening the bag of Aeolus. Now, it is not only possible criminal responsibilities of the past that are under the microscope, but everything that has to do with his activity as mayor is inevitably examined.
A well-informed source of "F", which was confirmed in the most official way, states that the municipal authorities of the city, after the removal of the mayor, have contacted the Auditor General, Andreas Papakonstantinou, asking him to check everything that has been put in the sphere of public debate and concerns the cycle of the Municipality's activities for about a decade.
This contact with the Auditor General of the Republic, according to our information, has taken place over the weekend and is part of efforts to shed light on everything that is attributed, either by exonerating responsibilities or by identifying and attributing them.
In our communication yesterday, Mr. Papakonstantinou, after first bringing our information to his attention, was content to state the following: "Yes, we are seriously concerned about the issue of the Municipality of Paphos and we will deal with it."
Although Mr. Papakonstantinou maintains a strictly responsible attitude, avoiding giving details, it is nevertheless understood that the research will have a wide scope and will touch everything that has to do with financial management, urban planning issues, contracts, public works and in general important decisions taken and concerning the Municipality. After all, from time to time citizens claim various things, which have come back to the fore.
However, for the time being there are no safe indications as to when the control will begin. Our source of information states that this will also depend on the planning of a competent team of the Audit Office and specifically audits that are in progress and concern specific local authorities.
Issues raised
During his research, "F" has focused on some issues raised, without prejudging whether there is anything reprehensible or not. We are therefore recording issues which, according to our information, have also been raised before the Audit Office of the Republic.
Turkish Cypriot issues and construction
The issue of Turkish Cypriot properties and urban planning arbitrariness has been raised several times in the sphere of public interest in the last 5 years. Mr. Phedonos himself, in his capacity as mayor, got in front of an operation to beautify the city by carrying out demolitions, citing arbitrary construction works. At the same time, it raised issues of arbitrary concession of Turkish Cypriot properties to non-refugees, taking specific actions.
The issue certainly divided. Citizens invoked actions by the mayor outside the law, while in the places where demolitions were attempted by the Municipality there were moments of tension. The images from the municipal enterprises with excavators and citizens protesting are fresh. At the same time, party MPs spoke of overstepping responsibilities and mismanagement on the part of the mayor.
Whatever the case, the whole matter falls within the scope of action of the Audit, which is expected to check the urban development that followed the landscaping companies, their history, as well as other similar issues that may arise.
The Marathountas Landfill
The Sanitary Landfill of Marathounta continues to be a thorn in the side and an asset that often comes to the fore. Recently, a former employee of the landfill publicly denounced the illegal termination of his employment that had preceded (3/7/25) by Phaedon Phedonos. The latter in this case acted as chairman of the Paphos Council for the Exploitation of Disposal or Utilization of Household Waste Sites. He had informed the former worker at the landfill that the reason for the termination of his employment had to do with evidence that was put before the Council.
Among other things, the former employee (allegedly to have taken legal action) seems to have charged, through his allegations, the Council and the mayor of Paphos with bad practices to recycle materials and non-compliance with obligations on the basis of funding. He was even talking about medical waste that ended up in the Marathounta landfill.
After all, the landfill had been in the spotlight around the last ten days of last July. The head of the Paphos District Self-Government Organization, Charalambos Pittokopitis, in fact, stressed that unfortunately the landfill site is once again proving to be the weak link for a large fire in the wider area.
Project assignments, planning permits
As usual in cases of audit of local authorities, issues related to the assignment of projects of the Municipality (audit for tender and tender procedures), as well as urban planning issues, are expected to be put under the microscope of the Audit Service. "F" is in a position to know various testimonies, which, however, he does not reproduce, in the context of his duty to observe journalistic ethics.
Investigators went to the deep end to investigate sexual abuse
- They spoke with people who held public positions and were informed
The police investigations into the criminal issues that have been raised and concern the mayor who has been on holiday since February 5, have progressed to a large extent and are covered under a veil of secrecy. The aim is not to contaminate the investigative work.
Regarding the incident of sexual abuse charged to the auditee by the well-known businessman, Theodoros Aristodimou, information collected by "F" states that the special investigative team that was set up has deepened its work.
Testimonies were taken from persons who were in public positions and seem to have been informed about an alleged relevant incident, which is placed in 2014, on our information base.
It is noted that the Chief of Police, Themistos Arnaoutis, has personally taken over the case, in the sense that he controls the investigation to ensure its quality. A joint investigative team has been formed, made up of independent investigators from different services of the police force, to achieve the goal and to rule out any attempt to influence the investigations.
