In the London of kings, where protocol demands red carpets be rolled out for “blue bloods”, Mrs Annita Demetriou took care to rise to the occasion. She ensured that the trip by the representative of lilliputian Cyprus’s Parliament had the appropriate grandeur for the circumstances.
Consequently, an inflated bill was inevitable. I’d even say necessary. Because grandeur doesn’t go with cheap bills… Everyone pounced on her because, they say, the taxpayers footed the inflated bill. What did you want then? For her to operate like Nikaros and find some Saudi to cover her costs? Then you’d have demanded her head on a platter…
To give the devil his due, for hotel accommodation in London, the amount isn’t outrageous. Unless you want her booking Airbnbs. But Annita, my dear, yesterday you appeared with excessive immoderation. What does “I’ve been cannibalised for something that isn’t illegal” mean? The hotel bill of €3,621 for three nights just for your ladyship—and another €15,172 for your entourage—you didn’t pay from your own pocket. So a little modesty wouldn’t go amiss.
The Audit Office revealed what the trip in question included, radiating… lavish extravagance: Eight people in the entourage, including five Parliament officials, two from CyBC and one security police officer. Here’s the crux of the matter. This is where we should focus our attention.
Really, did a director need to accompany the Speaker? And three public relations officers? What on earth for? Were they planning a charm offensive with Buckingham Palace? The matter becomes even more serious if reports are true that the mission included Parliament’s photographer. Because photographs from such trips can easily be obtained by any delegation from the organisers. There’s no need to charge extra accommodation at a luxurious hotel. Unless our Annita fancied a few smiley photos under Big Ben…
So the comments may have been somewhat excessive regarding the expenses. They weren’t at all excessive, however, regarding Annita’s companions. That’s why her reaction was so irritating. No apology. No intention to understand that she must be careful on every trip to demonstrate in practice that she respects taxpayers’ money. She chose the victim role: “I’ve been cannibalised for something that isn’t illegal.”
Come now, Annita. Just because something is legal doesn’t make it either politically moral or right. Especially when it’s paid for by people counting their change to get through the month. Unless the political philosophy governing the new generation of politicians says that power is entitled to five-star hotel bonuses, as long as there’s no breach of any article in the State Budget Law.
To be fair, what Annita claimed may well be true: “I don’t choose the accommodation.” She may have known, or maybe not. Whatever the case, however, she should have avoided this classic Cypriot institutional dribble of the “I didn’t decide, I just… signed” variety. Because frankly, the “it wasn’t me” method has become extremely irritating for citizens.
If Annita had political awareness, she would have realised that the Audit Office report touched a large section of society. In an era when people are suffering from high costs, you can’t afford to tell them you’re staying in expensive suites with their money. And the reference to “everyone else does it” can only work like a hammer blow to the head.
Perhaps if the mission had been more modest and smaller, would Cyprus’s presence have lost substance? Perhaps if she’d taken two officials with her instead of seven, would her international lustre have dimmed? Perhaps, ultimately, these trips are more about cameras, social media posts and public image than their actual purpose?
The problem isn’t the visit. It’s not even the hotel. The problem is that all this happens without a trace of empathy. That in Cyprus 2025, such luxury is taken for granted. That instead of Annita appearing with humility, she talks about “cannibalism”. That while we’re small in size, we don’t care if we appear big on the bill.
PS: And a note for the Audit Office. To maintain equal distances, it would be good to examine one of the trips made (not that will be made, because now he might be careful) by the President of the Republic as well. For comparison’s sake…
