The Audit Service is investigating alleged misuse of public funds by Marios Hartsiotis, who was moved from the post of Minister of Justice to Presidential Commissioner by President Nikos Christodoulides, following complaints that he has continued to use a state limousine around the clock since taking up his new role four months ago. The law is unambiguous: the position of Presidential Commissioner is not among those entitled to 24-hour use of a state vehicle. The Audit Service has written to the Presidential Palace with a series of questions and is awaiting a response that has not yet been provided.
Who the law covers
Legislation that came into force on 1 January 2016 significantly narrowed the list of officials entitled to a state limousine on a 24-hour basis, with the aim of reducing the substantial annual cost to the state from unrestricted vehicle use by a large number of officials, who had previously enjoyed free fuel, maintenance and even car-washing expenses. Under the current law, round-the-clock entitlement is restricted to the President of the Republic, the President of the House of Representatives, the President of the Supreme Court, the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General, the Auditor General, former Presidents of the Republic and of the House, ministers, deputy ministers, the government spokesman, the Chief of Police, the Chief of the National Guard, the head of the Intelligence Service, and the First Lady. All other public officials, including mayors and municipal secretaries, may use a state vehicle only for official duties, including social and service obligations arising from their role, within and outside normal working hours. The law explicitly states that travel between an official's place of residence and their place of work does not constitute official travel and therefore does not qualify for state vehicle use. Hartsiotis, who resides in Limassol, is alleged to have been using the limousine, with a police officer serving as driver, to commute to and from the capital daily.
A guard with no clear legal basis
A separate but related question concerns the police protection detail assigned to Hartsiotis. Former Justice Ministers Anna Prokopiou and Stefi Drakou were not assigned police protection upon leaving office. Hartsiotis, by contrast, was deemed to require it. A complaint has been filed on this point as well. The Audit Service has indicated it cannot readily investigate whether the provision of a protection detail to Hartsiotis constitutes a misuse of resources, as such arrangements can be justified through a general reference to security threats without further scrutiny.
The Audit Service's position on protection details
The Audit Service has previously set out its view on the use of police protection officers clearly, in its report on the Police published on 30 November 2023. It called on then-Police Chief Stelios Papatheodorou to issue strict instructions to officers serving in protection details to avoid abuses such as driving officials' children to school or private lessons, and running personal errands including supermarket shopping. The Service stated that involving protection officers in non-official duties "constitutes an abuse of authority," that instructions from officials to carry out such tasks are unlawful, that officers should not comply with such instructions, and that those who do will bear personal responsibility. It also recommended that the framework governing the protection of officials be regulated by clear legislation, rather than relying on subjective and non-transparent risk assessments lacking adequate factual grounding.