A commander of the LOK, at the helm of the Central Prison. Retired Brigadier General Giorgos Ioannou will take the hot seat as director of the Prison Department, bringing a four-year-long issue to a close, following the removal of Anna Aristotelous and the ensuing flurry of police officers being appointed as acting directors.
The commander of the paratroopers retired from the National Guard this year, having previously served as Cyprus’s first military attaché to the United States. The decision to permanently fill the position was made by the National Defense Staff (EDY) following the evaluation of five candidates. In the final ranking, Giorgos Ioannou prevailed over international relations expert Giorgos Kenta, while the female candidate, a former prison officer, withdrew.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
EDY
The Public Service Commission announced that, as part of the process to fill the vacant permanent position of Prison Director, it has decided to offer the appointment to Mr. George Ioannou, effective November 2.
The retired commander of the National Guard is taking on a hot potato, called upon to tackle a series of challenges by drawing on his military discipline. The key issue for the new director is the smooth operation of the prisons, which, however, depends on resolving the long-standing problem of overcrowding.
PASYDY Prison Staff Branch
Filling this position on a permanent basis is expected to contribute significantly to addressing and resolving the long-standing problems facing the Department. We will stand by him in his efforts and support every initiative that upgrades the Prison Department and improves working conditions for staff.
The Major Sticking Point
The housing crisis is not expected to be resolved before the prisons are relocated. This project, despite political will, is facing fierce opposition from local authorities. Responding to the outcry against locating the central facilities in Agios Sozomenos, the Minister of Justice states that the final decision will be made after the master plan is completed.
“I have made a commitment to the affected municipalities that as soon as we have the master plan, I will present it to them; they will share their views with us and tell us what they would like to see changed. The goal is to have bulldozers on site before the end of 2027.” Kostas Fytiris, Minister of Justice
Meanwhile, the trial of former prison director Anna Aristotelous and seven others continues at the Criminal Court regarding the disappearance of classified documents from the central prison. In a recent development, the Legal Service rejected the request to suspend criminal proceedings against five of the eight defendants.
See the report by Christoforos Nestoros
