Cypriot Parliament Under Fire for €70,000 Cafeteria Furniture Purchase

Cyprus’s Audit Office has revealed that the Cypriot Parliament spent €70,000 on new cafeteria furniture—raising eyebrows over the process used to approve the purchase.

According to the report, the interior designer responsible for the renovation was also the director of the furniture supplier, sparking conflict-of-interest concerns.

Rather than holding an open tender, Parliament officials chose a procedure usually reserved for the acquisition of “unique works of art.”

In response to the report, Parliament officials said the purchase was part of a broader renovation project:
“The upgrade concerns improvements to the Parliament’s facilities. We’ve repurposed the old cafeteria into a formal reception area where food can be served. It’s designed for visits by foreign diplomats and other high-level officials. The space must reflect the prestige of the country’s highest state institution.”

Speaker of the House, Annita Demetriou, also responded to the criticism, expressing frustration over the public backlash following the audit’s release.
“We’re being accused of wasting public money, but we haven’t done anything illegal,” she said.