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In the ongoing saga of the golden passport scandal that rocked Cyprus’ reputation, a surprise document presented in court on Thursday added fresh intrigue to the high-profile criminal trial of former House Speaker Dimitris Syllouris.
Syllouris' defense lawyer, Kris Triantafyllides, claimed his client had been officially authorized by then-President Nicos Anastasiades to represent the Republic in promoting the now-defunct Cyprus Investment Program to foreign investors. The defense presented a document said to prove this, prompting the prosecution to request its submission as evidence.
“If this document is challenged, I’ll bring in the former president himself,” Triantafyllides told the court, turning heads as he raised the stakes.
The dramatic reveal came during the cross-examination of lead police investigator Chrysanthos Christou, who testified that he had never seen the document and was unaware of any such authorization. Christou said that, during the investigation, the House of Representatives formally denied having any role in foreign investment promotion.
Still, Triantafyllides insisted Syllouris' involvement in investor outreach was done with full transparency and “everyone’s knowledge," not behind closed doors.
Adding to the courtroom tension, the lawyer for former MP Christakis Tziovannis cited testimony from the Nikolatos Inquiry suggesting that officials at the Interior Ministry were under constant pressure from service providers to expedite naturalization applications.
The defense also leaned on past statements by former Interior Minister Konstantinos Petrides, who testified that the Council of Ministers had wide discretion in granting exceptions, especially in cases of large financial investments or humanitarian concerns. Petrides reportedly said he never approved any applicant he believed would damage Cyprus’ image.
Defense lawyers further referenced similar testimony from senior Interior Ministry officials, supporting the argument that ultimate decision-making power rested with the Council, not individual MPs or intermediaries.
The trial, which stems from Al Jazeera’s 2020 undercover documentary and the findings of a subsequent state investigation, continues Friday morning with the conclusion of Christou’s cross-examination.
