Any decision taken in relation to the Independent Social Support Agency (AFKS) should aim at the smooth continuation of the application examination process for the current year and that the reserve will continue to be made available exclusively to students who meet the criteria, the Agency's Management Committee has decided to recommend to the Minister of Finance.
Moreover, as stated in an announcement by the Management Committee, pending the final decisions of the Council of Ministers, the Accountant General of the Republic, in his capacity as treasurer of the Agency, recommended the immediate implementation of the regulation submitted in December by the Audit Service. Specifically, the regulation proposed by the Auditor General provides that for donations over €20.000, the donor's consent is required for the publication of the name and amount, otherwise the contribution will not be accepted.
In its announcement, the Management Committee of the Independent Social Support Agency states that it held an extraordinary meeting on Monday, following the public announcement by the First Lady, Philippa Karsera Christodoulides, of her resignation from her duties as President.
As reported, the members of the Committee “expressed regret and called on Ms. Karsera to reconsider, considering that her resignation will negatively affect the continuation of the work of the Agency, which since 2015 has been supporting students from families with serious socio-economic problems. The same position was expressed by the honorary members of the AFKS, who participated in part of the session via video conference, expressing their views.”
For her part, Ms. Karsera warmly thanked the members of the Committee but reiterated that her decision to leave is irrevocable, it is reported. As noted, the First Lady stressed that what is most important at the moment is to ensure that all students who applied and meet the criteria for the 2025/2026 academic year will receive their scholarships. According to the information from the Secretary, 1.800 applications are pending for evaluation.
Therefore, the Management Committee decided to recommend to the Minister of Finance, as the competent authority for the implementation of the relevant legislation, to inform the Council of Ministers of the Committee's intentions. Specifically, the Management Committee will recommend that any decision taken should have as its primary objective the smooth continuation of the examination and completion of the applications for the current academic year, the assurance that any reserve will continue to be made available exclusively to students who meet the existing criteria for beneficiaries, and the finding of an arrangement that will guarantee that none of the said beneficiary students will be left helpless and deprived of higher education.
Furthermore, the Management Committee will submit recommendations with the aim of continuing the important social work of the Organization in a way that takes into account all the opinions/concerns that have been expressed to date, it is reported.
Pending the final decisions of the Council of Ministers, the Accountant General of the Republic, in his capacity as treasurer of the Agency, recommended the immediate implementation of the regulation submitted in December by the Audit Service. The regulation proposed by the Auditor General provides that for donations exceeding €20.000, the donor's consent is required for the publication of the name and amount, otherwise the contribution will not be accepted.
In conclusion, the Management Committee categorically denies “unfounded allegations that aim to damage the work and credibility of the Organization”, emphasizing that all sponsorships are made exclusively through transfers to the Central Bank. Furthermore, they state that the Auditor General conducted a thorough audit, having all the details of the sponsors, and all the scholarships granted, since 2015, and there was no conclusion of irregularity/illegality. “The publication of the donors, whose logos are, in the majority, on the AFKS website was not done because the law does not allow it. Something that has also been ruled by an opinion of the Supreme Constitutional Court”, the Management Committee’s announcement concludes.
