The Audit Office is investigating the Youth Board of Cyprus amid complaints of irregularities, mismanagement, lack of transparency and workplace bullying, as the organisation continues to operate without a board of directors.
The organisation has been without a board for more than two and a half months, after three members resigned. Complaints submitted to the Audit Office and to Phileleftheros claim the board’s normal operation has been obstructed and that the organisation has reached an impasse.
Phileleftheros understands that the Audit Office has been examining the problems for some time. A few weeks ago, it sent a letter to the Ministry of Education expressing concern over the situation and asking to be informed of any action being taken.
The complaints under investigation include claims of workplace bullying, direct awards for the purchase of products and services, repeated direct awards linked to the EkfraCY online platform, and the assignment of work to a retired employee through a services contract.
Other complaints concern insufficient checks on direct awards, the promotion of a Youth Board officer from scale A8 to A13 without all the required documents, and the approval of funds to party youth organisations by board members who also belonged to those organisations.
The complaints also refer to alleged breaches of working hours by specific employees, problems with board meetings and agenda-setting, the sidelining of the chairwoman and frequent postponements of meetings.
They also claim that fewer members than required were appointed to the board, that the organisation has had no executive director for the past five years, since March 5, 2021, and that one of the issues due to be discussed at the meeting where board members resigned was the removal of former Youth Board president Yiannis Yiannakis, who has since been convicted.
Further complaints state that staff evaluations, which should have been sent to employees by March 31, 2026, were not carried out, and that certified minutes were not sent to the Audit Office and the Ministry of Education.
Asked to comment, Youth Board chairwoman Constantina Achilleos said: “I am awaiting an investigation by the Audit Office and the Ministry of Education. I do not want to make any further statement until then.”
The Audit Office has, in recent days, launched a regulatory and management audit into how the Youth Board operates. Phileleftheros understands that the audit followed a letter sent by the Audit Office around the end of February to the director-general of the Ministry of Education.
In the letter, the Audit Office attached complaints it had received and expressed concern over the situation at the Youth Board, as well as over indications that it appeared to be an organisation in disarray.
The Audit Office also asked the Ministry of Education whether it had investigated the complaints, many of which had already been made public, and what measures it planned to take to address the issues.
An Audit Office source said an audit had begun at the Youth Board. “There is serious concern over what is happening, as well as over whether the Youth Board is fulfilling its role,” the source said.
