The Audit Office has written to police asking what criteria were used to approve a police guard in September for Marios Hartsiotis, the Commissioner of the Presidency, Phileleftheros understands.
The letter, sent early this week, seeks to establish whether the police’s security committee assessed him under the set procedure before he was allowed to keep the guard, as the issue of personal guards for officials remains open for the Audit Office.
The Audit Office began examining the matter last spring, after media reports about his guard and his use of a service vehicle. In March, it opened an investigation into the use of the vehicle, which was driven by two police officers assigned to guard him, although they were members of the Presidential Guard Unit.
According to a complaint, Hartsiotis continued to use a service vehicle to travel from his home in Limassol after his term as justice minister ended. The post of commissioner does not provide for such a privilege.
After the Audit Office asked the Presidential Palace for clarification, the assistant police chief transferred the officers from the Presidential Guard Unit to the Special Protection Service to escort Hartsiotis.
Review of guards
In September, following action by Justice Minister Costas Fytiris, guards provided to former officials and their relatives were reviewed. At the end of the month, Fytiris ordered a reassessment, and it was decided that police guards would be withdrawn from 5 October from former House presidents Marios Garoyan, Demetris Syllouris and Yiannakis Omirou.
Guards were also withdrawn from Androulla Vassiliou and Elsie Christofia, the wives of former presidents George Vassiliou and Demetris Christofias.
