Audit Office spokesperson Yiota Michael clarified why a photograph of Auditor General Andreas Papaconstantinou wearing a hat, wig and glasses on a public bus went viral.
She explained that the Auditor General joined a planned “citizen experience audit” announced one to two months earlier. The exercise allowed auditors, including the Auditor General himself, to experience first-hand the daily realities citizens face on public buses.
“Mr Papaconstantinou did not act alone. A total of 120 Audit Office staff followed set routes and completed questionnaires to document actual conditions,” Ms Michael said. The Auditor General chose to participate personally to see the situation himself.
Ms Michael stressed that surprise checks capture genuine everyday conditions, while announced inspections often produce an improved picture because staff know inspectors are coming. The Audit Office has used similar undercover methods before, including in hospital emergency departments, and plans to continue them in other areas.
The spokesperson confirmed that the Audit Office never released the photograph and never intended to make it public. The Auditor General has now asked police to investigate the leak.
She highlighted the value of the Auditor General leaving his office to contribute directly to the effort. The Audit Office will publish the findings in a report during the first quarter of 2026.
Ms Michael also clarified that this citizen-experience audit has no connection with a separate report on financial claims by bus companies, which examines only a sample of payments made by the Ministry of Transport under public transport contracts.
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