In the case addressed in today’s column, only one word can truly reflect its essence: Shame!
It’s a concept that evidently has completely disappeared in the realm of the state-owned Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation (CyBC/RIK). How else can one describe the attitude of those in charge and the directors?
After 17 whole years of absolute indifference in handling the drama of journalist Evdokia Loizou, her judicial vindication has finally arrived.
At the very least, one would expect them to acknowledge their inhumane treatment. Instead, their only reaction is to announce that they will appeal the judicial decision. What else can one exclaim but shame?
We remind everyone that it took 17 long years for Evdokia to be vindicated!
We remind everyone that the court awarded her €925,000 in damages plus interest, along with legal expenses amounting to hundreds of thousands of euros. We also remind everyone of what we wrote a few days ago: “The inevitable shock: In a supposedly European state, a person lost their health working in a state institution and suffered for years in an inhumane manner.”
Unfortunately, it seems that the only ones who were not shocked were the members of the board of directors and the directors of CyBC.
The outrageous details of the case did not affect them at all. Not even the clear medical diagnosis of viral encephalitis by the eminent neurology professor Michael G. Hanna, director of the Institute of Neurology in England and head professor at the National Hospital for Neurology & Neurosurgery.
Nor did the clear diagnosis that the rare, extreme, and complex incident that severely affected Evdokia constituted an occupational disease according to European legislation and directives on safety and health at work, caused by the unacceptable working conditions at the CyBC building.
Conditions characterized by the presence of rodents and insects in the studios and offices.
Moreover, the findings came from the competent state agency: the Labor Inspection Department!
For 17 whole years, they tormented Evdokia, questioning both medical diagnoses and expert opinions on workplace safety.
They denied everything.
Tragic directors and tragic managers wasted time with postponements upon postponements, trials within trials, and questioning of witnesses. They perpetuated the problem of a woman who saw her health destroyed at a young age. They pushed her to the brink of despair.
Today, we must inform society that the executives of CyBC even tried to absolve themselves of their responsibilities at the last moment.
After the hearing process of the case was completed and the judge reserved the decision, they requested a partial reopening and retrial of the lawsuit.
In a desperate attempt to reduce compensations, they tried to shift blame for causing harm to Evdokia’s health to the neurosurgeon, who had already been convicted by the Limassol District Court for medical negligence because he subjected Evdokia to incorrect treatment.
However, the incorrect treatment was not the cause of the illness!
In other words, it’s not enough that they caused a journalist to suffer from a rare, complex, non-genetic disease and subjected her to painful treatments; CyBC tried every possible way to escape from the high compensations.
Their request for a partial reopening and retrial of the lawsuit was submitted to the court on December 15, 2023, i.e., 7 months after the hearing process of 13 years was completed and the decision was reserved by the judge.
Their desperate attempt was in vain. The major issue is that all these bright sparks of CyBC won’t pay the mammoth compensation; it will be the taxpayers who foot the bill.
We’ll repeat it: in a proper state, all those whose indifference and callousness caused maximum suffering to Evdokia would be punished, and it would entail a hefty cost to the public.
However, none of this sticks to them. They didn’t find the strength to utter a simple apology to Evdokia. Nor to the taxpayers whom they burden with the compensation, which with interest and legal expenses will approach €1.5 million.
The only thing they found the strength for was to continue their prolonged game of indifference. By appealing!
What do they hope to achieve? Acquittal? Not even in their dreams. To reduce the amount of compensation? Anyway, they simply multiply their responsibilities.
Because they seal their lack of humanity.
