Ayia Napa mayor to stay in post during criminal investigation

Ayia Napa mayor Christos Zannettou will not be suspended from duty while a criminal prosecution against him is underway, the interior ministry announced on Tuesday.

The decision follows an opinion from the attorney general’s office which said the charges he faces are linked to events which unfolded before he took up office. 

As such, citing the municipalities law of 2022, “Mr. Zannettou could not be suspended,” the AG said.

Zannettou is suspected of misappropriatinga €765,000 European grant for a hotel renovation project in which he held a stake.

Several reports by the audit office highlighted the case, which in 2016 called for the matter to be referred to the attorney-general, as it highlighted that there may be criminal offences involved, explaining how the financial statements submitted by the company in question were falsified.

The case was submitted before Famagusta district court in April. Zannettou’s lawyer sought to suggest there were ulterior motives over the fact the case resurfaced shortly before elections.

Zannettou was released on €100,000 bail.