The First Lady, Philippa Karsera, has announced that she is stepping down from the Independent Social Support Agency, in the wake of the public storm triggered by the controversial video.
Karsera, the wife of President Nikos Christodoulides, made her decision public through a social media post, outlining her position and confirming her withdrawal from the Agency.
The statement breaks her silence on the issue and comes amid heightened scrutiny of the video and its wider political and institutional repercussions.
The full statement
With deep sadness and serious concern, over the past 24 hours my children and I have been witnessing a relentless attack on social media, involving the spread of false news, defamatory comments, and allegations of criminal conduct from personal accounts, both named and anonymous.
There is also a real risk of further dissemination and uncritical mass reproduction of these malicious and unfounded claims, which would constitute defamation and a violation of my own and my family’s human rights. The fact that I am the spouse of the President of the Republic of Cyprus does not constitute justification or mitigation for these baseless attacks and accusations.
Because, as a person, I firmly believe that the defence of our rights is not merely a right but an obligation, and that we must fight and not show tolerance towards such phenomena, I have already sought legal advice.
Once again, I reiterate that from the moment I assumed my duties, in full compliance with the legislation adopted in 2015 by the House of Representatives, as Chair of the Management Committee of the Independent Social Support Agency (March 2023), and especially following the increase of its budget and the granting of scholarships to many more children from underprivileged families in 2024 and 2025, the attacks became relentless.
Tomorrow, the Management Committee of the Independent Social Support Agency will convene in an extraordinary session, during which I will inform its members of my decision to step down from the Committee. Not because I do not wish to continue helping children — this was from the outset my sole motivation — but because I will not allow anyone to continue to malign the integrity and ethics of myself, my husband, and my family, under the pretext of the Agency’s operation, from which no member of the Management Committee has derived any personal benefit whatsoever.
I have decided to adopt the same stance with regard to the other charitable organisations in which I gladly accepted the role of executive chair in order to support their work, as previous First Ladies had done.
We all have a duty not to allow individuals to be defamed through unfounded claims for political, partisan, or vote-seeking purposes. This is neither civilisation nor political ethics, nor is it a way to earn public trust. On the contrary.
I know that people understand the truth and that justice always prevails. One does not need official positions or titles to help others, nor to be affiliated with political parties. It is enough to remain Human — to have God in one’s heart — and to walk through life guided by what is right and just.
As a mother, I will always defend my family. As an active citizen, I will continue to stand by all children and vulnerable people who need me, quietly, discreetly, and selflessly, fully respecting the law and safeguarding the human rights of all.
The First Lady subsequently added further information in the comments of the same post.
It has been stated many times — by myself and by the General Accountant, who under the law serves as the Treasurer of the Independent Social Support Fund (ISSF) — both in Parliament and in the media, and I repeat it again today:
The ISSF is a special state fund with an account at the Central Bank, operating since 2015 under law, and all donations are made exclusively via bank transfers. There is no cash, no possibility of access to the account, and no possibility of misuse.
The Treasurer is the General Accountant of the State. The Fund is audited by the Auditor General, all data are submitted for review, and the identity of donors is recorded for auditing purposes. There is absolute transparency and accountability.
In no audit carried out by the Auditor General, or by private auditors appointed by him, was any irregularity or illegalityever identified. There is no way for funds to leak, there are no financial transactions outside the system, and all funds held in the special account are allocated exclusively as scholarships to children who are studying.
All eligibility criteria are published on the ISSF website. Thousands of children have already benefited, and hundreds more are expected to receive scholarships this year. All financial records are held by the General Accounting Office of the State.
There is no relationship whatsoever between the ISSF Management Committee and donor companies, nor does the Committee have any knowledge of the donors’ business activities.
The decision for the First Lady to chair the ISSF was taken in 2015, when the law was adopted by the House of Representatives. The same applies to the rules governing auditing and disclosure.
Since March 2023, on my own initiative, all information has been published on the ISSF website, including eligibility criteria, beneficiaries, methods of contribution, company logos, and details of the Management Committee. The Committee continuously examines ways to further strengthen transparency, taking into account the recommendations of the Auditor General and in full respect of the relevant ruling of the Supreme Constitutional Court.