The Cyprus Journalists' Union (ESK) has strongly criticised remarks made by ALMA MP Michalis Paraskevas against journalist Frixos Dalitis during an episode of the Netcast Zone podcast published online on 13 July 2026.
In a statement, the union's board described the comments as an "offensive, unsubstantiated and sweeping attack, filled with disparaging remarks, dismissiveness and irony."
According to the statement, Paraskevas described Dalitis as a "directed journalist" and a "propagandist" serving a "political agenda."
The Journalists' Union said the allegations were "groundless, unsubstantiated, sweeping and deeply offensive," stressing that it was unacceptable and contrary to all ethics and professional standards to tarnish the record of a journalist with 20 years of experience in such a careless and irresponsible manner.
The union added that the MP's claims "border on verbal abuse and should be withdrawn immediately."
It also called on the leadership of ALMA to state whether it endorses what it described as behaviour that "grossly violates political decency."
The ESK noted that Paraskevas' criticism was not limited to Dalitis, as the MP also claimed more broadly that there are "journalists who are directed".
Paraskevas also addressed the Journalists' Union directly, saying: "Let the Journalists' Union come and complain that this isn't the case. Mr Giorgos Fragkos, make an issue of it."
Responding to the remarks, the board stressed that the Cyprus Journalists' Union is "a serious organisation with seven decades of activity behind it" and made clear that it would not "descend into name-calling and sweeping denunciations, even though the provocation is considerable."
Concluding its statement, the union said that anyone with complaints regarding the work of journalists may appeal to the appropriate institutional bodies established under the profession's self-regulatory framework in order to pursue any grievances they believe they may have.
