Yiannis Panayiotou, the former Minister of Labour, said he was very surprised. He did not know he would be removed from his job. The President of Cyprus did not give him any warning. This change happened during a cabinet reshuffle. The President called him directly to tell him.
Panayiotou spoke about his surprise on Thursday. He said he was not ready for his dismissal. He noted that ministers are not like regular employees. The constitution does not give them fixed terms. "We must be ready at all times to leave," he said. Ministers serve the country. They are political figures, not employees with labour rights.
The President has the power to appoint and remove ministers. This is part of his constitutional right. He can replace ministers at any time. Panayiotou respects the President's decision. He does not see his removal as a political "beheading."
The reasons for the cabinet change are not clear. However, Panayiotou thinks some policies might be the cause. His work on wage changes may have upset some people. Employers and football clubs may have been unhappy. They had to pay more money because of the reforms.
The effect of this change is still unknown. Panayiotou's exit shows a change in the government's labour policy. The public elected the President. Therefore, the President is responsible for these decisions.