The law mandating that public officials declare their wealth and income, also known as ‘pothen esches’, is legal, the Supreme Constitutional Court ruled on Wednesday.
The law had been referred to the court by President Nikos Christodoulides after it was approved by parliament, with it now being mandated that all public officials now submit an online wealth declaration.
The law was taken to court after an annex which included specific officials and public figures who are obliged to submit declarations was added to it.
Those officials include the attorney-general, the deputy attorney-general, the director of the president’s press office, and district governors.
Court president Antonis Liatsos confirmed when reading the court’s decision that the law does not violate the principle of separation of powers inside the government, despite the high rank of those impacted by the law, including the attorney-general and his deputy.
In fact, he said, it is of utmost importance for the integrity of the institutions in question to be secured for wealth declarations to be made by the holders of the posts.
With this in mind, he said the court’s decision promotes “transparency and accountability and the strengthening of the necessary trust” in Cyprus’ governmental institutions.
More to follow…
