The Nicosia District Court has ruled that statements made by then-Auditor General and current MP and ALMA leader Odysseas Michaelides against a transplant surgeon were defamatory, awarding the surgeon €15,000 in general damages plus legal interest and costs.
The ruling comes eleven years after the dispute arose from a letter Michaelides sent to the Health Minister in February 2015 regarding the procurement of kidney transplant services. The letter was circulated to the Parliamentary Audit Committee, the Accountant General, the Cyprus Medical Association and the Medical Disciplinary Council, and received wide publicity.
The letter referenced high fees and contained allegations linked to profiteering, speculation and possible breaches of medical ethics. The court found that specific terms used in the letter — including “profiteering,” “speculation,” “unrealistic offer” and references to a “regime of extortion” — were capable of damaging the surgeon’s public image and professional credibility.
The surgeon argued the letter was based on incomplete and misleading information about his fees and work, creating a false impression with the state and the public. He also argued that its non-confidential circulation contributed to its wide publication.
The court rejected key defences including fair comment and privileged communication, ruling they did not cover the specific language used in the letter.
It found that malicious falsehood was not established due to the absence of proven special damage. A request for aggravated or punitive damages was rejected.
Michaelides said in a post that he had acted within his constitutional remit, with the aim of auditing public expenditure and ensuring the sound management of state resources.
