As of Thursday, former Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Tasos Tzionis takes the helm of the island’s upgraded Central Intelligence Service (KYP).
The seasoned diplomat is replacing Kyriacos Kouros -another career diplomat – and his deputy is former head of the Presidential Guard Panicos Stavrou, according to Philenews.
The role of the KYP’s chief is now upgraded since he will also be participating in the National Security Council and even taking charge of its constitution.
In March, Tzionis delivered a detailed study on the way the National Security Council should work before newly-elected President Nikos Christodoulides.
Tzionis was a long-time member of the Cyprus negotiating team and is essentially returning to KYP after having served as its head between 2003-2008 under the Presidency of Tassos Papadopoulos.
After serving as Cyprus’ Ambassador to Israel, Tzionis returned to the Ministry as a member of the Advisory Committee on Hydrocarbons. He also served as a mediator in the Israel-Lebanon disputes over the division of their EEZ.
He has also served as Cyprus’ ambassador in Rome and then returned as the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary in 2019, a position from which he retired on March 30, 2020.
