Nicholas Papadopoulos, the President of Diko, which is the largest party in the governing coalition, has come forward to address the appointment of a 19-year-old student as a Ministry consultant, following public outrage.
In a post on social media, Papadopoulos openly acknowledged the government’s missteps.
Specifically, Papadopoulos stated, “I am the first to recognise the errors made by the Nicos Christodoulides government, and it was indeed a mistake to appoint the 19-year-old advisor.”
However, he condemned the backlash over the decision saying that the “relentless criticism of the traditional political system triggered by the appointment of a young student is unacceptable.”
“The 19-year-old could be anyone’s daughter,” he added calling for a balanced approach to criticism.
The student resigned yesterday from her consulting role at the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, with the competent Minister Kostas Koumis, coming to the defence of the government’s decision stating that he had received three opinions noting there was nothing illegal in hiring a person under 21 years of age, who is not a university graduate for the specific position.
Koumis also claimed that he did not know that the 19-year-old worked for Christodoulides’ election campaign and that the President was not aware of the hiring.
The appointment sparked public outrage and raised concerns about the credibility and competence of the government while prompting a broader discussion on the importance of transparency and meritocracy in public service.
Read more:
19-year-old student resigns from Ministry job after outrage over appointment
