The latest Supreme Constitutional Court ruling on capital statements places the attorney-general and deputy attorney-general on par with judges regarding wages, retirement age and benefits – but not in terms of asset declarations, attorney-general George Savvides said on Friday.
In his first response to the court’s decision affirming the legality of the law passed in parliament, Savvides outlined its implications.
Savvides clarified that the court’s decision distinguished between the roles: while judges and the attorney-general share parity in terms of wages, pensions and other benefits, the capital statement requirement applies only to the attorney-general and deputy attorney-general, as judges are not required to submit them.
The attorney-general and his deputy have long been opposed to submitting their capital statements, arguing this would not serve transparency, and on the contrary would subject them to “unwarranted” scrutiny and to potentially malicious misinformation about their wealth.
The ruling was welcomed by Disy, which called it a “significant step in favour of transparency.” Disy further stated that the decision vindicated parliament’s move to pass the amendments into law.
Amendments to the law were voted through by MPs in July, broadening the scope of who is required to publish capital statements, and seeking to tighten up any loopholes. It included the attorney-general and his deputy.
MPs had voted a revised capital statements law, broadening the terms to include the AG and his deputy as independent officials required to file their income and wealth declarations.
President Nikos Christodoulides moved to refer the law to the Supreme Constitutional Court on the grounds of unconstitutionality.
The advisor to the state over legal matters is the attorney general.
An objection was filed by lawyer Christos Clerides who is representing parliament, rebuffed the argument of the legal service that the attorney general and deputy attorney general should fall under the same rules as judges – who are not required to submit capital statements.
The legal team representing President Christodoulides in the referral included the Chryssafinis & Polyviou law firm, Achilleas Emilianides and state prosecutor Elena Papageorgiou.
