The government of President Nikos Christodoulides has come under renewed fire over its handling of the media, after Fact-Check Cyprus confirmed the authenticity of a controversial photograph that had been dismissed by officials as fabricated.
The investigation by Fact-Check Cyprus, a member of the European Digital Media Observatory, used advanced tools to verify whether the photo, which showed a woman embracing the president at the inauguration of Salina Municipal Park in Larnaca, had been manipulated. The group concluded that the image was genuine and had not been altered.
Political Backlash
The photo was first published in the Politis newspaper’s political gossip column on August 12, sparking debate on social media over whether it was authentic. The following day, the paper issued an apology in a second column, saying it had no reason to doubt claims the photo may have been fabricated.
Although Politis had not itself alleged manipulation, Deputy Government Spokesman Yiannis Antoniou seized on the apology, using the platform X to suggest the newspaper had spread “fake news”, part of what critics now describe as a broader government effort to discredit the press.
Media Under Fire
Analysts and media groups argue that the Christodoulides administration has increasingly adopted strategies reminiscent of former U.S. President Donald Trump, portraying critical reporting as deliberate misinformation. The tactic has been used most notably in response to coverage of the government’s handling of deadly wildfires in Limassol.
Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis and deputy spokesman Antoniou have repeatedly labeled reports as “fake news,” including coverage of the state’s delayed application to the EU Solidarity Fund for post-fire financial assistance. Journalist Kostis Pitsillides of Politis had confirmed with the European Commission that Cyprus had not submitted a request as of August 9, a fact the government did not dispute, but attempted to reframe.
Corruption Report
The same approach was taken toward a report in Haravgi titled “Champion in Corruption, Laggard in Justice” by journalist Konstantinos Zachariou. The Ministry of Justice and government spokesmen dismissed the article as unfounded, claiming it misrepresented the EU’s Rule of Law Report.
Zachariou countered that his reporting was based on the European Commission’s 2025 Spring Semester Package, not the Rule of Law Report cited by the government, accusing officials of either failing to read the report or deliberately misleading the public.
Journalists’ Union Responds
The escalating dispute prompted intervention from the Union of Cyprus Journalists (ESK), which issued a statement condemning the government’s stance.
“Journalists and politicians have distinct roles and missions,” the union said. “What politicians cannot do is denounce, label, or intimidate journalists. Threats of administrative or repressive measures pose serious dangers to press freedom and freedom of expression.”
The union specifically criticized the government’s handling of Zachariou’s report, noting that “excessive zeal and pejorative characterizations” had been used in a way that undermines public discourse. The label “fake news,” it added, “is far too heavy to be employed so casually.”