A Paphos municipal councillor must choose between his teaching job and council seat after two ministries discovered he held both positions for roughly two years.
Costas Diplaros of AKEL worked as a public sector teacher whilst also serving as an elected councillor—a combination that breaks the law.
Both ministries sent him letters as soon as they found out, telling him to pick one job or the other, according to sources.
The issue surfaced after Diplaros appeared on television and radio to discuss what’s been happening at Paphos Municipality. His media appearances may also trigger disciplinary action at his school, since he should have been at work at the time, sources said.
His employer has already written to him, spelling out exactly why he can’t hold both jobs and asking him to choose between his teaching career and his council seat.
The Interior Ministry will also notify him through Paphos District Officer Efrosini Georgiou. Menelaos Vassiliou, speaking for the Interior Ministry, told Phileleftheros the district officer has been briefed.
The Interior Ministry is using Article 18, paragraph 3 of the Municipal Law, which explains why public sector workers can’t also serve as elected officials on a municipal council.
The acting mayor and council will be told about the situation so they can decide what to do next.
The problem was apparently known long before Mayor Phedon Phedonos went on leave, but neither he nor other councillors did anything about it.
The municipality is already dealing with upheaval—the mayor is suspended whilst police and other authorities investigate him, and municipal secretary Themis Philippides is on pre-retirement leave.
