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Former President Nicos Anastasiades has hit back at the explosive claims made by former U.S. Ambassador John Koenig, questioning both the timing and motive behind the American diplomat’s scathing comments.
Anastasiades, who appeared before the Anti-Corruption Authority to give testimony as part of an ongoing investigation into the so-called “Mafia State,” didn’t hold back when asked about Koenig’s recent blog post that accused him of being dishonest and egotistical.
“I wonder, first and foremost, if this is all just coincidence, or if someone is trying to help those who may be interested in the outcome of this investigation,” Anastasiades said pointedly. He then added, “But I don’t want to say more about a Turkish ambassador of America in Cyprus,” using a loaded phrase that seemed aimed at discrediting Koenig’s objectivity.
His remarks come less than 48 hours after Koenig published a lengthy account on Substack, where he opened up about his turbulent term in Cyprus from 2012 to 2015. In the post, Koenig painted a highly unflattering portrait of the former president, saying the two “hated each other” and accusing Anastasiades of being a “fraud” and a “megalomaniac.”
Koenig said their relationship fell apart after Anastasiades insisted on visiting Moscow in 2015 to meet with Vladimir Putin, despite EU sanctions and American pressure not to. The former ambassador said he saw this as a political betrayal, given the delicate geopolitical climate following Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
Koenig even posted a cryptic message on social media at the time, “Choose your friends wisely”, which he now says marked the beginning of the end of his diplomatic mission in Cyprus.
But Anastasiades now appears to be questioning not just Koenig’s version of events, but why he chose to speak out now.
“It’s curious, to say the least,” said a close associate of Anastasiades, speaking on condition of anonymity. “These kinds of comments years later, at this exact political moment, don’t come out of nowhere.”
Anastasiades’ strong response is likely to fuel further debate around Koenig’s account and whether it should be seen as a personal grievance or a meaningful contribution to the public’s understanding of past political decisions. What’s clear is that the former president is not staying silent.
