Filenews 5 February 2026
The mayor of Paphos, Phedonas Phedonos, is removed from his duties today, after the Minister of the Interior was informed by the Police about the offense being investigated against him. The mayor of Lefkoniko, Pieris Gypsiotis, is also out of office for a case of violence in the family.
The developments around the mayor of Paphos are stormy after a woman testified to the authorities with allegations of rape 10 years ago. This was preceded by the testimony of businessman Theodoros Aristodemos with the same allegations. The investigations that began into this serious complaint sparked the interest of the Ministry of the Interior, which requested information from the Police about what is being investigated against the mayor, in order to examine whether the application of Article 113 of the Municipalities Law concerning the mayor's suspension is justified.
Yesterday, a day after receiving the statement from the woman in question, the Chief of Police replied to the general director of the Ministry of the Interior, Elikos Ilias, that a case against Mr. Phedonos is being investigated on the basis of article 144 of the Criminal Code concerning rape. The letter is also attached to the relevant article of the Penal Code which states:
144. Anyone who enters into illicit intercourse by vaginal, anal or oral penetration of the penis into another person's body, without his consent or with consent given under the state of violence, threat or fear, is guilty of a felony called rape and is subject to life imprisonment.
The Police do not refer in their letter to the other case that is being examined ex officio and concerns an alleged act of violence against the mayor's wife, since there things are not clear since there is no complaint, there is no complainant and the alleged victim has repeatedly denied what is seeing the light of day, even asking for the investigations to be stopped. However, investigations are ongoing to gather all the evidence.
In the case of the complaint concerning the alleged rape, here the Police have in their hands a written statement from the alleged victim. The testimony was given the day before yesterday, lasted more than five hours and according to our information, reference was made to events and actions that must now be thoroughly examined. As reported to us by the Police, after receiving the testimonies and other actions that must be taken, the mayor will be summoned to be questioned and if he wishes to give his own position.
The decision of the Minister of the Interior Konstantinos Ioannou to suspend the two mayors under investigation was announced yesterday by the Ministry of the Interior, which received information from the competent authorities, in relation to criminal investigations by the prosecuting authorities against the Mayors of Paphos and Lefkonikos, which, in case of conviction, carry a prison sentence of more than three years. Based on this, Article 113 of the Municipalities Law is activated and they are automatically suspended until the completion of the investigations and the trial of the cases.
As it was clarified, the procedure was not initiated yesterday because the Minister of the Interior was absent abroad and upon his return he will approve the relevant notification for publication in the Official Gazette of the Republic in an extraordinary edition of the Official Gazette today. It is underlined that, according to the law, the holiday comes into force only after the publication of the notification in the Official Gazette of the Republic.
It is noted that the investigations into the mayor of Paphos are kept under complete secrecy and not even the department that conducts them has been leaked. Information from "F" states that in the recent past, an anonymous letter had arrived at the Police accusing the mayor of Paphos of serious criminal acts, however the people named did not wish to give a statement and so the case had not proceeded.
In his statements, the Spokesman of the Police Headquarters, Byron Vyronos, has stated that some statements have been taken, an investigative team has been set up and the data before them is being evaluated, adding that the investigative team will determine the course of the examinations.
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Pafos Live
With absolute respect for the investigative and investigative procedures of the authorities and always guided by the delivery of justice at all levels, I believe that in the last few days specific complaints concerning the Mayor of Paphos Phaedon Phedonos have been monopolized by the media. All the other complaints that came to light have been thoroughly forgotten. The silence of the video gate concerning high-ranking figures of the Government is provocative, which reasonably creates the suspicion that there are expediencies or interests from decision-making centers or business interests, which chose this particular time to stir up an issue mentioned by this businessman a decade ago, when a case of his company was being tried, the complainant was Mr Phedonos himself.
Also, it is worth wondering why no other investigation has proceeded into Anni's serious revelations concerning the Police. Personally, I am in favour of transparency at all levels, without discrimination and without expediency. I hope that the Government Spokesman's reference to his statements the day before yesterday using the line "everything is in the light" will not be limited only to the issue of Phaedon. I believe that all parties must push in the direction of investigating all the complaints that have seen the light of day, without exception.
Marios Neophytou, candidate MP for Paphos ALMA
