The Management Committee of the Independent Social Support Body (ISSB) convened urgently on Monday, 12 January 2026, following First Lady Philippa Karsera Christodoulides’ public announcement of her resignation as Chair.
Committee members expressed regret and urged Karsera to reconsider, warning her departure would negatively impact the Body’s work supporting students from severely disadvantaged socio-economic families since 2015.
Honorary members, joining via teleconference, echoed this position.
Irrevocable decision amid priorities
Karsera thanked members warmly but reaffirmed her irrevocable resignation decision. She prioritised ensuring all applicants meeting criteria for 2025/2026 academic year receive scholarships, with Secretary reporting 1,800 pending evaluations.
Recommendations to Cabinet
The Committee resolved to recommend to the Finance Minister, as competent authority, informing the Cabinet of intentions prioritising:
- Uninterrupted processing and completion of current applications.
- Exclusive allocation of reserves to eligible students under existing criteria.
- Arrangements guaranteeing no beneficiary student goes unaided or lacks tertiary education.
Proposals will address continuing the vital social work incorporating all expressed views/concerns to date.
Auditor’s immediate measure
Pending final Cabinet decisions, the Accountant General, as Body treasurer, proposed immediate implementation of the Auditor General’s December regulation: donations over €20,000 require donor consent for name/amount publication, or rejected.
Reaffirmation and disproof of claims
The Committee categorically denies baseless claims targeting the Body’s work and credibility, stressing all sponsorships occur exclusively via Central Bank transfers.
The Auditor General conducted thorough review of all donors and scholarships since 2015, finding no irregularity/illegality conclusions.
Donor logos on the ISSB website majority were not published due to legal prohibition, as ruled by Supreme Constitutional Court opinion.
Full announcement below:
The Management Committee of the Independent Social Support Body (ISSB) held an extraordinary meeting on Monday, 12 January 2026, following the public announcement by the First Lady, Philippa Karsera Christodoulides, of her resignation from her duties as Chair.
The Committee members expressed regret and urged Ms Karsera to reconsider, noting that her resignation would negatively affect the continuation of the Body’s work, which has supported students from families facing serious socio-economic challenges since 2015. The same position was expressed by the honorary members of the ISSB, who participated via videoconference in part of the session and shared their views.
Ms Karsera warmly thanked the Committee members but reiterated that her decision to step down is irrevocable. She emphasised that the immediate priority is to ensure that all students who have applied and meet the criteria for the 2025/2026 academic year will receive their scholarships. The Secretary provided an update that 1,800 applications are still pending evaluation.
Accordingly, the Management Committee decided to recommend to the Minister of Finance, as the competent authority for implementing the relevant legislation, that the Cabinet be informed of the Committee’s intentions as follows: Any decision taken should have, firstly, the uninterrupted continuation of the evaluation and completion of applications for the current academic year as its primary objective; secondly, the assurance that any reserves will continue to be allocated exclusively to students who meet the existing eligibility criteria; and thirdly, the identification of a solution that guarantees no eligible student is left without support or denied access to tertiary education.
Furthermore, the Committee will submit proposals aimed at ensuring that the Body’s important social work continues in a manner that takes into account all views and concerns expressed to date.
Until the Cabinet reaches a final decision, the Comptroller of the Republic, in his capacity as the Body’s treasurer, recommended the immediate implementation of the measure submitted in December by the Audit Office. The measure, proposed by the Auditor-General, provides that for donations exceeding €20,000, the donor’s consent is required for the publication of their name and the amount; otherwise, the contribution will not be accepted.
In conclusion, the Management Committee categorically denies unfounded claims intended to undermine the Body’s work and credibility, emphasising that all donations are made exclusively via transfers to the Central Bank. In addition, the Auditor-General conducted a thorough review, having access to all donor details and all scholarships awarded since 2015, and found no evidence of irregularity or illegality. The publication of donors, most of whose logos appear on the ISSB website, was not carried out because it is not permitted by law – a position also confirmed by the Supreme Constitutional Court.
Nicosia, 13 January 2026
Also read: First Lady Karsera quits ISSB, reaffirms full transparency
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