Tomorrow, the Auditor General will refer the General Board of the THOK to the Attorney General for criminal offenses, in which case he will continue to refuse to provide him with information that he has already requested regarding the expenses of the performance "Antigone" in Salamina.
The Auditor General, commenting on yesterday's letter sent to him by the Chairman of the Board. of the THOC, Giannis Toumazis, clarifying that the council unanimously decided not to provide the information requested in the investigation conducted by the Audit Office, said that the positions of the THOC are surprising, because it is a semi-governmental organization that is controlled in a similar way for decades.
Last year, in fact, he gave the data for "Hippolytus" without any problems, said Mr. Michailidis, who added that the new theories that the THOC is developing now are obviously not accepted. In essence, the THOC states that it will consciously disregard the law of the Republic of Cyprus, because it allegedly conflicts with a European Directive, which in any case concerns private auditors and not the Audit Services of states, he added, to add:
"The THOK will be informed in writing that tomorrow, Friday, officials of the Service will go to the THOK to collect the data concerning the relevant expenses. The data that will be collected will concern all the performances of the project "Antigone", including the expenses for the performances in the free areas where there was an entrance ticket. If the collection of data is hindered, then a complaint will be submitted to the Attorney General as provided by the relevant legislation on the Submission of Data to the Auditor General.
In yesterday's letter of Mr. Toumazis to the Auditor General, since the dissatisfaction of the Organization is expressed, the following is also mentioned:
• The Organization considers that it does not fall within the powers and responsibilities of the Auditor General, in accordance with the above, to investigate whether the THOC has received a relevant permit from the Department of Antiquities for the use of the occupied theater of Ancient Salamis. In any case, your question does not concern the THOC, but the Bicommunal Technical Committee for Culture.
• The above action, in the view of the board of directors of THOK, affects your objectivity and independence as an audit body.
• Despite the fact that in your letter you state that you do not enter into the political aspect of the issue, nevertheless the board. of the Organization considers that the whole issue, as also raised by the president of DIKO, Mr. Nikola Papadopoulos in his complaint, has only a political aspect and therefore any attempt by you to disconnect the political aspect of the issue from the powers and responsibilities you as an audit authority, to the extent that they exist, is at least unfortunate, and can not neutralize the blow that your actions have brought to your objectivity and independence as an audit body of the Agency.
• The transition of the THOC to the Ancient Theater of Salamis as well as all the actions unanimously decided by the board of directors, clearly fall within the scope of its responsibilities, are completely legal and contribute to the realization of the goals of the Organization for the cultivation of theatrical artistic feeling. people as a whole.
• In the light of all the above, the board of directors of THOK, unanimously decided that it does not intend to send you a detailed statement of the amounts spent for the performance or the minutes of the board. of THOK of the meeting during which it was decided to participate in the above mentioned performance.
Toumazis asks for a legal opinion
In a letter to the Minister of Education, the chairman of the board of THOK Giannis Toumazis, invites him to request an opinion from the Attorney General regarding the scope of the audit that the Auditor General must conduct in the light of the provisions of Directive 2006/43 / EC and also the compatibility of the provisions of the relevant Law regarding the powers of the Auditor General, at least in relation to legal persons governed by public law, in accordance with the provisions of Directive 2006/43 / EC.
It also requests an opinion on whether the Auditor General is the competent authority to decide on the execution and implementation of the budget of legal persons governed by public law.
Mr. Toumazis connects the above with the intervention, as he mentions, of the Auditor General in the execution and implementation of the THOK budget, in relation to the payment of compensations to the actors. Mr. Toumazis adds, the question arises as to whether the Auditor General has the power to decide on how to implement and execute the budget of legal entities under public law.
"We are of the opinion that the Auditor General has exceeded on the basis of the above, his powers and responsibilities which he exercises in violation of Law 42 (I) / 2009", concludes Mr. Toumazis.
Announcement THOK
The Theatrical Organization of Cyprus in its announcement today states that "yesterday, October 5, 2016, it sent a detailed reply letter to the Auditor General of the Republic".
"Apart from the obvious content of the letter, which has seen the light of day, THOK does not wish to make any other comment," the announcement concluded.
Source: Liberal