Philenews

Equality: Democratic Accountability as a Shield Against Harassment

Published February 9, 2026, 14:22
Equality: Democratic Accountability as a Shield Against Harassment

The Pan-Cypriot Trade Union ISOTITA issued a statement responding to the public statements of the Minister of Justice and Public Order, Mr. Kostas Fytiris, stating, among other things, that “Security Forces in a European Rule of Law do not operate on a camp basis, nor are they made up of mindless recruits who silently await orders, lacking critical thinking.” The Union accuses the Minister of a lack of understanding of the democratic functioning of the Police and of authoritarian tendencies and offensive rhetoric. It points out that Security Forces in a European Rule of Law do not operate in a military manner and that the voice of employees is necessary for transparency and control of administration. Furthermore, the Union reveals that the Minister, in a private phone call, made threatening statements against the President of their branch, Nikos Loizidis, describing this behavior as authoritarian and foreign to the legal culture.