A major investigation has discovered widespread financial problems within the city administration of Limassol. The report reveals a long-standing culture of financial irresponsibility over several years. The Audit Service’s detailed review, which looked at operations from 2021 to mid-2024, found many violations of public sector rules. This raises serious questions about who is accountable within the local government.
According to the findings, the city authorities used questionable staff policies that broke official guidelines. For example, sixteen city employees were put on special, personal pay scales. Twelve of these were hourly workers who, under normal rules, should not have been eligible for such raises. These decisions continued even after legal experts officially warned the city not to create such payment systems. The audit also found improper staff reassignments. Personnel originally hired as traffic officers were permanently moved to other city departments by direct order from the mayor or council, ignoring standard procedures.
The financial issues went far beyond staff pay. The audit shows that overtime payments increased by a shocking 176 percent since 2017, rising from €492,000 to €1.359 million. The investigation found that this overtime was approved without anyone checking if the hours had actually been worked, which could easily lead to abuse. At the same time, staff allowances grew by 44 percent, reaching €162,000 in 2023, even though this broke the law. In one particularly bad case, a senior official received about €100,000 in overtime pay but consistently failed to use the required electronic clock-in system.
City representatives have defended their actions by saying that a long-term hiring freeze made overtime necessary to maintain public services. However, auditors are not convinced that staffing problems explain why financial controls were so widely ignored. The lack of basic checks on overtime claims and the common failure to use the timekeeping system point to more serious, deep-rooted problems.
This report confirms ongoing worries about how public institutions in Cyprus are managed. It appears that political connections often have more influence on hiring decisions than a person’s qualifications. This may explain why the city council repeatedly approved questionable decisions that would normally lead to punishment in a better-managed organization.
The Audit Service has officially asked the city to provide full explanations for these issues by December 8. This situation is happening at a time when the public is paying more attention to how their tax money is spent, especially as people face higher living costs. The problems in Limassol are an example of the wider challenges for local governments across the country, showing an urgent need for more transparency and stricter financial rules.