A social media post by the Director General of the Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation (OEV), Michalis Antoniou, referring to OEV as “the largest and truly independent employers’ organisation in the country” has triggered a new episode in the already fragile relations between OEV and the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KEVE).
Within the business community, it is widely acknowledged that relations between the two bodies are not always harmonious. The latest crisis, which had not previously become public, follows earlier tensions, including disagreements over the cost-of-living allowance.
What distinguishes this episode is that the dispute is documented in correspondence obtained by Politis, revealing a confrontational tone.
Stavrou’s letter
KEVE President Stavros Stavrou sent an extensive internal letter, marked confidential, to associates and Chamber members, many of whom are also members of OEV. The subject line echoed the controversial phrase: “…and truly independent employers’ organisation in the country…”.
In the letter dated 26 February 2026, Mr Stavrou stated that he had received numerous telephone calls from KEVE members asking what was “really happening” in relation to the OEV Director General’s social media posts.
“You are asking me, and rightly so, what Mr Antoniou means by ‘truly independent’ and whether he implies anything about KEVE. That is, whether he suggests that KEVE is not independent and that our decisions are not taken independently,” he wrote.
Mr Stavrou proceeded with an extended reflection on independence and ethical leadership within organisations of public interest, a category he said includes employers’ organisations.
Such organisations, he argued, must act independently of vested interests and take decisions guided by the common interest of their members and society.
He then addressed the issue of conflicts of interest, noting that organisations are only as independent as their senior executives.
After outlining this framework, he stated that “our organisation, the organisation I preside over, is truly independent”.
He continued with a pointed remark that was widely interpreted as directed at OEV.
“Which other organisations can describe themselves as ‘truly independent’ I leave that to them to decide and to you to judge. It does not require specialised research to see where incompatible relationships may exist between officials of such organisations and where conflicts of interest may arise in the exercise of their duties and who is truly independent and who is not.”
Pantelides responds
Mr Stavrou’s letter prompted a response from OEV President George Pantelides, who sent his own note to members of the KEVE executive committee. Mr Pantelides had been among the recipients of Stavrou’s letter.
The OEV President described the content of the KEVE President’s document as “offensive to the leadership of OEV, part of which simultaneously belongs to the leadership of KEVE”.
“At a time when our region is literally burning in a regional war of unpredictable dimensions and when new, uncharted risks and asymmetric threats are emerging for businesses and our economy, Mr Stavrou’s priority is an offensive attack against OEV,” he wrote.
Mr Pantelides referred to “pettiness” in the KEVE President’s letter and stated that OEV would not be drawn into it.
“My message to you is that OEV and I personally will not engage with the pettiness of Mr Stavrou’s document, which we are confident does not reflect the majority of KEVE’s leadership.”
Despite the sharp tone, he stressed that OEV remains committed to cooperation.
“I consider it my duty to emphasise that both I and the entire executive committee of OEV remain committed to the closest possible cooperation between our two organisations for the benefit of businesses and our country.”
He added that cooperation between OEV and KEVE should not be confined to labour matters.
“Our cooperation cannot begin and end with labour issues. The interest of businesses and the country requires broader cooperation between OEV and KEVE across all business matters.”
He noted that their recent collaboration had sent “a clear message to the state and society that the business community is united in safeguarding the competitiveness of our economy”, warning that no expediencies should be allowed to tarnish cooperation or undermine support for businesses.
Mr Stavrou’s letter also triggered reactions from other recipients. Pantelis Christofidis, President of the Cyprus Canada Business Association, wrote to the KEVE President stating that he had no knowledge of the matters referred to in the 26 February letter and had submitted no related query to the Chamber.
He further clarified that the association is not an authority of the Republic of Cyprus and had therefore neither circulated nor informed any of its members about the issue.
The next day
The latest episode brings renewed attention to tensions between Cyprus’ two largest business organisations, with both sides exchanging sharp, albeit confidential, correspondence.
Past experience suggests that relations tend to stabilise after periods of friction. The difference this time is that the dispute has been formally documented.
Another complicating factor is the unresolved disagreement over the handling of the cost-of-living allowance, which left divisions that have not fully healed. From those divisions now emerges a broader argument over who can legitimately claim to be truly independent.