Newsroom
Five independent criminal investigators have been appointed by the Council of Ministers to probe corruption allegations originating from the book "Mafia State" by journalist Makarios Drousiotis.
The cabinet's decision on Thursday follows an official report by the Anti-Corruption Authority, which evaluated the book's claims and determined that a formal criminal inquiry is warranted.
The investigative panel
The newly formed team consists of high-profile legal experts from Cyprus and Greece, led by Vasileios Skouris, a public law professor and former president of the Court of Justice of the European Union.
The other members are:
- Christos Mylonopoulos, criminal law professor at the University of Athens
- Sotiris Liasidis, retired judge
- Nikolas Koursaris, vice president of a Nicosia Bar Association committee
- Dimitris Tsolakidis, member of the Cyprus Bar Association’s criminal justice committee
The investigators have been given an initial six-month mandate to conduct their work. This term can be extended by the cabinet if the team submits a written justification explaining why more time is required. To facilitate the inquiry, the government is providing the panel with dedicated office space, equipment, and administrative staff.
High-profile targets and recusals
The Anti-Corruption Authority's initial findings recommend investigating 15 individuals and corporate entities for potential criminal offenses. Among those named in the report are former President Nicos Anastasiades, former government minister Nikos Kougialis, former lawmaker Giorgos Varnava, and Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev.
The allegations under scrutiny involve trading in influence, abuse of authority, bribery, and money laundering.
Because of the high-profile nature of the suspects, top legal officials have stepped aside from the process. Attorney General Giorgos Savvides and Deputy Attorney General Savvas Angelides both recused themselves from handling the case, and a senior state prosecutor will also abstain from the proceedings. All relevant files were transferred directly to the police and the cabinet to ensure neutrality.
The government stated that the appointments were made in strict accordance with the Criminal Procedure Law and designed to guarantee an objective, independent review of the corruption claims while maintaining the presumption of innocence for all accused parties.
