2 million — The former mayor of Strovolos has firmly denied allegations that he left the municipality burdened with millions in debt. This assertion comes amidst a heated exchange between ex-mayor Andreas Papacharalambous and the current municipal authorities.
- The identity of the company involved has not been disclosed. Papacharalambous has also accused the current municipality of leaking sensitive documents regarding the case to the media.
In a recent statement, officials from the Strovolos municipality claimed that Papacharalambous mishandled a €2 million debt owed to them by a private company. They further alleged that, rather than decreasing, this debt has escalated to €2.3 million, despite negotiations initiated by the former mayor.
The municipality’s statement suggested that Papacharalambous acted unilaterally, stating that he made decisions regarding the debt without the necessary approval from the municipal council. The debt in question pertains to unpaid entertainment tax, and the municipality indicated that the previous decision to temporarily waive part of the debt occurred around 2020.
Responding to these claims, Papacharalambous defended his actions by explaining that the decision to ease repayment was made to prevent the company from going bankrupt amid ongoing loan restructuring discussions with banks. He argued that enforcing full repayment would have jeopardised the company’s operations, leading to a total loss of the owed amount.
The identity of the company involved has not been disclosed. Papacharalambous has also accused the current municipality of leaking sensitive documents regarding the case to the media.
Emphasising that the company was not given any concessions, he stated, “not even for a single cent.” He has framed the ongoing dispute as politically motivated, suggesting that the allegations are an attempt to distract from more pressing societal issues. “The brutal distortion of truth and the attempt at misdirection from the real scandals of society amounts to a cheap political stunt,” he asserted.
As he campaigns for a parliamentary seat with the Elam party, Papacharalambous asserted that these allegations will not hinder his political ambitions. “The momentum of my candidacy with Elam for the upcoming parliamentary elections shall not be throttled,” he declared.
