Former President of Cyprus Nikos Anastasiadis has rejected the report issued by the Anti-Corruption Authority concerning the so-called “Mafia State.” “The allegations of enrichment, corruption, and a host of other defamatory claims made by Makarios Drousiotis have collapsed as entirely unfounded,” Anastasiadis stated, following the Authority’s announcement that he should be investigated for potential criminal corruption offences based on claims made in journalist Makarios Drousiotis’s book.
Read also: Cyprus Anti-Corruption Authority’s explosive “Mafia State” report: Anastasiadis, Rybolovlev, and 13 others implicated
Anastasiadis to hold press conference to address “unsubstantiated charges”
In a written statement, the former Cypriot president categorically denied all attributed offences and called for the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General to be recused from overseeing the investigations, so that “the groundlessness” of the allegations against him could be demonstrated with documented evidence.
Anastasiadis further emphasized: “Most of the charges attributed by the investigating officers and the Anti-Corruption Authority not only fall outside the scope of the claims under investigation as recorded in Mr. Drousiotis’s book, but were never put to me during the investigative process, thereby denying me the opportunity to submit documented and substantiated responses.”
He also announced that he would be holding a press conference in the coming days to provide “evidence-based answers to both Mr. Drousiotis’s allegations and the unsubstantiated nature of the charges.”
Cyprus government responds: “Zero tolerance” for corruption
Cypriot government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis, asked by the Cyprus News Agency (CNA) to comment on the announcement regarding the report, stated that the findings of the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority are “fully respected.” Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency, he also stressed that the Cypriot government’s tolerance of corruption-related conduct remains at zero.
“From this point forward, there are established legal procedures, grounded in the Constitution and the relevant legislative framework, which must be properly initiated so that the serious matters referenced in the report are fully investigated,” he added.
“Our position is clear,” the spokesman continued, noting that the state operates institutionally, responsibly, and exclusively within the framework of the Constitution — which mandates strict adherence to due process, full respect for the independence of the competent authorities and the judiciary, and upholds the presumption of innocence. “Should the need arise, within the context of established procedures, for the executive branch to take action, this will be done with absolute respect for the Constitution, the mandate of each institution, and the provisions of the law,” he said.
Reaffirming that the government’s tolerance for corruption “remains at zero,” he stated that “our commitment to transparency, accountability, and strengthening citizens’ trust in institutions remains unwavering.”
