Transparency Commissioner Mr. Haris Pogiatzis (see photo) will enjoy the salary and benefits of a minister with his annual gross earnings amounting to € 108,500, while the four members of the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority will receive an annual gross salary of € 80,000. The Minister of Finance, Mr. Konstantinos Petridis, disagreed with the amount of salaries of the members of the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority, considering that it is very high. The Council of Ministers took the relevant decision, with the disagreement of the Minister of Finance being recorded in the minutes. The controversial decision of the Council of Ministers was published yesterday in the newspaper of the Republic of Cyprus, with the disagreement of Mr. Konstantinos Petridis recorded.
In particular, the Council of Ministers determined the remuneration of the head and the four members of the Independent Authority against Corruption, in a meeting held on 7/4/2022, almost a month before their election by President Anastasiadis. Specifically, the Council of Ministers decided:
- To determine, as in the Commissioner of Transparency Mr. Haris Pogiatzis, salaries and allowances of the same amount and the same amount are paid as those paid to the ministers of the Republic. According to the General Accounting Office of the Republic, the gross annual salary of a minister amounts to € 77,530, to which is added the performance allowance, thus increasing the gross annual earnings together with the 13th salary to € 108,500. The total monthly salary with the performance allowance amounts to € 8,505 and the net monthly salary after income tax amounts to € 5,163. Mr. Pogiatzis retired from the position of judge.
- To determine that the four members of the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority are paid an annual gross salary of € 80,000 without any allowances, which will be paid in 13 monthly installments. The four members of the Independent Authority against Corruption are: Makis (Michael) Konstantinidis & # 8211; former director general of the Ministry of Communications and Works, Eleni Patera Demosthenous & # 8211; lawyer, Nikos Zampakidis & # 8211; accountant/auditor and former general manager of the Nicosia Water Supply Council and Tatiana Zachariadou – sociologist.
- To authorize the Minister of Justice and Public Order Mr. Stefi Drakou to sign a relevant contract with the commissioner and the members of the Independent Authority against Corruption in relation, among other things, to their compensation.
According to the decision of the Council of Ministers published yesterday in the newspaper of the Republic, “the Minister of Finance expressed his disagreement with sub-paragraph (a) (ii) of the above decision, considering that the remuneration of the four members of the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority is very high “.
Do not practice
Based on the legislation governing the establishment and operation of the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority, during of the term of office of both the commissioner and the members of the Authority, they are not allowed to hold any other position or office in the Republic and/or to be engaged in any other paid work. Their term of office was set at six years without the possibility of reappointment. The “incorruptibles” are expected to take office at the end of the month.
