Minister Christos Patsalides yesterday confirmed media reports that following his ministry’s move to the Yiorkio building, the contract for the lease to the old building was not cancelled, which means the ministry will now have to pay the owners’ compensation for the past seven months.
The blunder was brought into the limelight by Politis newspaper yesterday, which claimed the ministry will have to cough up as much as €40,000.
Patsalides said he had already ordered the ministry’s Permanent Secretary to carry out an administrative investigation into who was to blame for the error.
The minister referred to ‘negligence by ministry officials’, who omitted to take the necessary actions to end the contract for the previous building.
He said he had been informed on the issue by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary last week as the building’s owners, through their legal advisers, had asked for compensation. A compromise took place over the amount.
Cyprus Mail, September 21, 2008
