The former executive director of the State Health Services Organization, Christis Loizidis, is being checked for possible criminal responsibilities.
The former OKYPY official immediately transferred from the public to the private sector, failing to submit an application to a competent three-member state committee as provided by the current legislation.
Based on what was reported yesterday to the parliamentary Committee on Institutions, his case falls under the provisions of article 7 of the law. As explicitly stated in the legislation, in case a person who leaves the public sector and within the next two years wants to be employed in the private sector, he must submit an application to the committee. If he does not do so, if convicted he faces up to one year in prison, or a fine of up to 10,000 euros or both.
Of course, it should not be taken for granted that Mr. Loizidis' case will go to court. The law in question, on the Control of Undertaking in the Private Sector by Former State Officials and Certain Former Civil Servants and the Wider Public Sector Law of 2007 (114 (I)/2007), does not clarify whether its provisions concern general of public organizations with a five-year term, a category which includes the case of the former official of OKYPY.
On February 16
The case of the former executive director of OKYPY, according to a recent publication of “P” (20/02), on February 16 was put under the microscope of the special three-member committee set up based on the provisions of the law and consists of Elena Zachariadou ( President, representative of the Legal Service), Giago Papakyriakou (member, representative of the Audit Office) and Andrea Sophocleous (member, representative of the General Accounting Office). This three-member body examines all applications “from former government officials or employees of the public and wider public sector and within two (2) months from the submission of this application, based on the public interest, decides whether the applicant can or not to undertake the work in the private sector to which the application relates, with or without restrictions or conditions “.
At Oilinvest
The former official of the State Health Services Organization in the first ten days of January (10/01) with a written statement announced his departure from OKYPY. He recently officially announced on his personal account on Social Media his transfer to the offshore company Oilinvest Group, which is based in The Hague, the Netherlands. He appears to have a senior executive position in this corporate group. Oilinvest Group operates under the names Tamoil and HEM brands in Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Spain and the Netherlands, while conducting its commercial activities from Cyprus.
“P” had contacted by phone with Mr. Loizidis on 19/02 and had told him that his transfer to Oilinvest occupied the three-member committee consisting of the Legal Service, the Audit Office and the General Accounting Office of the state. However, he simply stated that he was in The Hague and did not want to comment on anything.
Pressure from Charalambidou
Details of Mr. Loizidis' case were given by the representative of the Legal Service to the three-member committee and its chairman, Elena Zachariadou, following persistent questions from MP Irini Charalambidou. Ms. Zachariadou had initially referred to the case of the former OKYPY official without giving details about his identity. She explained that the committee she chairs is called upon to handle the cases before her and her colleagues in a state of secrecy, referring to the law. However, Charalambidou, citing parliamentary scrutiny, insisted. Finally, Ms. Zachariadou confirmed that her reports were about Mr. Loizidis. He added that “it is a matter under study”, as it appears that he failed to submit a request to the committee before switching to the private sector. He explained that in such cases the committee, after an examination (note that clarifications are first requested from all those involved), “prepares a relevant report and it is submitted to the Attorney General and the Police”. He spoke of a “criminal offense” in case someone fails to apply, “with sentences of imprisonment or even a large fine.” He referred to Article 7 of the law. He also stated that, among other things, clarifications were requested from Mr. Loizidis and that he estimates that within the next two months the issue will be clarified.
Ms. Zachariadou's colleague and representative of the Audit Service in the committee, Giagos Papakyriakou, referring to the present case, said that it is not clear whether the law applies in cases of general managers with a 5-year term. “We are not sure if they are covered by the law. For & # 8217; “We did not file a direct complaint”, he explained, speaking about the former executive director of OKYPY.
The cases from & # 8217; 19
Elena Zachariadou, at the request of MP Alexandra Attalidou, gave information about the work of her committee and specifically the number of applications she examined from public officials, who asked permission to switch to the private sector before the lapse of two years after retirement.
We quote in detail:
- 2019 11 applications (6 approved unconditionally, 1 approved conditionally, 4 rejected)
- 2020 17 applications ( 10 unconditionally approved, 6 conditionally approved, 1 rejected)
- 2021 21 applications (8 unconditionally approved, 7 conditionally approved, 6 rejected)
- 2022 3 applications (1 approved on condition, 2 rejected)
It should be noted that the representative of the General Accountant in the three-member committee, Andreas Sophocleous, commented that all decisions (see table) were taken unanimously , wanting to show the proper functioning of the body.
The law was passed by Parliament in 2007 and was intended to exclude the possibility that state officials or other public officials could take advantage of the position and seize in any way the access they had to sensitive information, utilizing it for their own benefit and for profit. in the private sector. It concerns, “any person who has served as a public official or as an official of the public and wider public sector and has in any way retired or terminated his service or term of office is obliged to apply to the committee for his intention to undertake any work in private employer, within the first two years from the date of retirement or termination of service or term of office “.
categories:
- “Minister, Government Representative, Auditor General of the Republic, Assistant Auditor General of the Republic, Chief of Police, Deputy Chief of Police, Director of the Office of the President of the Republic, Secretary of the Council of Ministers, Commissioner, Superintendent or Regulator, appointed by law or decision of the Council of Ministers./p>
Judges and security forces
After the intervention of the chairman of the parliamentary Committee on Institutions, Dimitris Dimitriou, it was decided to include a special provision in the amendment bill under discussion in order to reviewed by the committee responsible and retired judges. At yesterday's session of the committee, the integration of provision in the bill was also discussed in order to control executives of the National Guard, the Police and the Fire Service. Representatives of these security forces showed a positive attitude towards & # 8217; this possibility and soon undertook to submit their positions in writing. According to the chairman of the Committee on Institutions, the aim is to bring the amending bill before the plenary for a vote before Easter.
Source: politis.com.cy
