Minister of Labor Giannis Panayiotou has come under fire after revealing that a particular company, connected to an athletic club, owes substantial sums to the Social Insurance Fund. According to the minister, both he and his family were subjected to threats and insults, which he believes were instigated by the company’s management.

Speaking today, Wednesday, on a morning television program, Minister Panayiotou highlighted that this response is symptomatic of certain troubling tendencies in society, pointing out that, despite the negative reactions, he remains focused on safeguarding public interests. He also emphasized his responsibility to uphold the law, reaffirming that any attempt to circumvent payment obligations to the state will be addressed in accordance with established regulations.

When asked whether he intends to pursue legal measures in response to the threats, Panayiotou admitted that he has not yet made such a decision. He stressed, however, that all public figures have an obligation to do what is right and to implement the provisions of the law—especially when taxpayers’ money and public welfare are at stake.

The minister went on to address criticism surrounding his explicit reference to the athletic club in question. While acknowledging President Nikos Christodoulides’s view that naming the organization might have been avoided, Panayiotou defended his initial choice. He explained that the debt was already widely reported in newspapers and known to both the media and the public, making his confirmation, in his view, a natural step.