Prosecutor in difficult position after publication of "Mafia State" report
The anti-corruption authority published a 67-page report with the possibility of criminal prosecution of 15 individuals and legal entities. The prosecutor finds himself in a deadlock due to his close relationship with former President Anastasiades.
Prosecutor under pressure following "Mafia State" report
The anti-corruption authority published on Tuesday a summary of a 3,000-page report, which concerns the allegations made in the book "Mafia State" by Makarios Drousiotis, as reported by the Cyprus Mail. The investigation, which lasted more than two years and was conducted by four lawyers, concluded in 67 pages of findings.
According to the report, there is a possibility of criminal prosecution of 15 individuals and legal entities, although the main subject of the investigation was former President Nicos Anastasiades. The request for investigation was initially submitted in November 2022 by Andreas Mavrogiannis, then a presidential candidate. A few weeks later, Anastasiades himself submitted a similar request, stating that he wished for the truth to be established.
An Australian lawyer specialising in international criminal law was appointed to lead the investigation, working with three Cypriot lawyers. The publication of the summary provoked strong reactions; political parties and legal experts called for criminal investigation into all criminal offences included in the findings.
Anastasiades read the report differently from others. In a statement, he argued that the allegations of unjustified enrichment and corruption raised by Drousiotis have been refuted, and that the violations attributed to him have been categorically rejected. At the same time, he requested that Attorney General Giorgos Savvides and Deputy Attorney General Savvas Angelides—both appointed by him—be exempted from any potential criminal investigation. Drousiotis's lawyer went even further, calling for their removal, on the grounds that their presence could influence the investigation.
Savvides finds himself in a particularly difficult position. Apart from the fact that he was appointed by Anastasiades and served as a minister in his government, he has publicly declared his close friendship with the former President. If he decides not to pursue criminal prosecution, he will be accused of protecting him; if he does pursue it, he will face allegations that he is disadvantaging his friend. Before any decision, the Attorney General's office will need to examine the evidence extensively, a process expected to take months.
Regardless of the final decision, the anti-corruption authority's report constitutes a further blow to Anastasiades's declining public image.
Source: Cyprus Mail