Cyprus government and AKEL in war of words over audit report

A war of words has broken out between the Cyprus Government and AKEL party regarding the Audit Service's report on the Cyprus Investment Program. In a statement released by Government Spokesman Marios Pelekanos where he criticizes AKEL's statements, it says "AKEL thinks that it can make use of the Auditor General's report to criticize the government on an issue that has been repeatedly discussed in the past, specifically right before the parliamentary elections in May of 2021, the results of which are well known". In response, AKEL stated that "either the Government Spokesperson, overwhelmed by the hasty study of the Audit Service's report, does not realize the extent of the institutional entanglement and political corruption of the government he represents, or in his inability to give convincing answers he resorts to empty words, without substance and without content".

The Government Spokesman's statement

"We would like to remind AKEL that the revelations of Al Jazeera did not concern members of the Government or the ruling party, but a member of the Central Committee and an MP of AKEL.

"Regarding the claim in the report about loss of revenue from the application of a reduced VAT rate for the first 200 square meters, this is the implementation by the Government of the almost unanimous votes, including the positive votes of AKEL, a decision taken in 2016 by the House of Representatives.

"We recommend AKEL to wait until tomorrow, when documented answers will be given, both during the Audit Committee Meeting and after it."

AKEL's response

"Either the Government Spokesperson, overwhelmed by the hasty study of the Audit Service's report, does not realize the extent of the institutional entanglement and political corruption of the government he represents, or in his inability to give convincing answers he resorts to empty words, without substance and without content. Maybe both are true."

[This article was translated from its Greek original]