Football clubs are awaiting the Finance Ministry’s response to their proposal to pay one-third of new tax debts accumulated since May 2023, as they seek to avoid criminal prosecution and secure UEFA compliance certificates.
Five major clubs – APOEL, Apollon, AEL, Anorthosis and Ethnikos Achnas – proposed yesterday to Tax Commissioner Sotiris Markides that they would immediately pay €1.36 million of their €4.1 million recent tax obligations.
The Cyprus Football Association president George Koumas and head of the Criteria Committee Nick Nicolaou attended the meeting at the clubs’ request.
The clubs also committed to paying additional portions of both new and old debts within three months to re-enter the debt repayment scheme.
Tax Department technicians are currently analysing the proposal before presenting various scenarios to Finance Minister Makis Keravnos today.
The Tax Commissioner will meet with the minister to review the situation, which requires a political decision.
President Nikos Christodoulides, who has been kept informed, has repeatedly stated he does not wish to see clubs shut down but insists they must comply with the law.
If accepted, the Cyprus Football Association would oversee clubs’ compliance with the new agreement.
The total combined debt stands at €35.5 million, with the proposed arrangement potentially reducing it to €30.4 million through scheduled payments.
The proposal includes clubs re-entering the 2023 debt settlement scheme, which would allow them to pay remaining debts through instalments.
The Tax Department continues to hold criminal charges as a possibility pending the ministry’s decision.
