Nicosia: First Lady Philippa Karsera Christodoulides announced her decision to resign from the management committee of the Independent Social Support Agency. The announcement was made through a written statement on her Facebook account, where she expressed her concerns over what she described as a "merciless attack" on social media. The attacks included the spread of fake news, defamatory comments, and allegations of wrongdoing from both well-known and anonymous personal accounts.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the decision to step down follows the emergence of a video last week that made allegations about illegal financing of President Christodoulides' presidential campaign in 2023 and controversial investments on the island. In her statement, the First Lady mentioned that the Management Committee would hold an extraordinary session on Monday to discuss her decision to resign.
She clarified her motivations, stating that her intention was never to cease helping children, which had been her primary motivation. However, she emphasized that she could not tolerate any further defamation of her ethics and integrity, as well as that of her husband and family, under the guise of the agency's operations. She assured that no member of the Management Committee derived any personal gain from the agency.
The First Lady further explained that the Independent Social Support Agency is a special state fund that has been operating under the law since 2015, with an account at the Central Bank. She highlighted that all grants are made through bank deposits, ensuring no cash transactions and no potential for account misuse. She underscored the agency's transparency and accountability, noting that audits by the Auditor General of the Republic and private auditors had not detected any irregularities or illegalities. All funds in the special account are exclusively used as scholarships for children pursuing their studies.