The spokesperson of the Audit Office, Giota Michael, confirmed this afternoon that the now-viral photograph of Auditor-General Andreas Papaconstantinou — disguised with a wig, sunglasses and a cap while travelling on a public bus — was stored in an internal electronic folder of the Service without any “confidential” marking. This meant that the file was accessible to a wider circle of staff, raising significant questions about internal data security and the source of the leak.

From what is visible, the photo appears to have been taken from a computer screen, not exported or downloaded. According to information confirmed, the image was saved in a shared internal folder that contained photographs collected during the large-scale on-site inspection conducted by 120 Audit Office officers to assess the real experience of citizens using public buses.

The controversial image had already been placed in the shared folder when an unknown individual with access to that directory photographed it and then forwarded it externally.

A key detail in the case is that the photo ultimately reached a member of a political party, who publicly posted it on social media. However, this does not necessarily mean that the material did not pass through additional hands before its public release.

Although the photo was not classified as confidential, Michael stressed that leaking internal material can still compromise the functioning of the Audit Office. For that reason, Auditor-General Papaconstantinou has already filed an official complaint to the Police, requesting a full criminal investigation.

As for the disguise itself, the Audit Office clarified that Papaconstantinou chose to participate undercover in the inspection in order to avoid influencing the behaviour of bus drivers. “We wanted to live the experience that citizens actually face,” Michael said, adding that the findings of the operation will be published in a dedicated report in the first quarter of 2026.

The undercover inspection is part of a broader strategy the Audit Office has been applying, aiming to capture the real conditions of public services. Yet the leak — and the fact that it originated from inside the Service — has sparked serious concerns. 

The police investigation is ongoing.