Newsroom
Former Energy Minister Giorgos Papanastasiou has alleged that business interests with political connections interfered with plans for the Vasiliko gas terminal, a project meant to help Cyprus produce electricity at a lower cost.
Cyprus’ Anti-Corruption Authority said Tuesday it cannot open its own investigation into the allegations. The authority said the European Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that its ongoing criminal investigation into the terminal already covers the issues Papanastasiou raised. The authority said current law bars it from running a parallel inquiry.
Speaking on the Tsouroullis Uncensored podcast, Papanastasiou alleged that financial interests and their ties to senior political figures had obstructed the project. He also alleged that some decisions were made despite those involved knowing they were wrong. In an August interview with Kathimerini, he suggested his work as minister had upset interests that stood to lose if consumers had access to enough electricity at an affordable price.
The podcast prompted renewed calls from political parties and others for the authority to investigate. AKEL leader Stefanos Stefanou had already made a similar request in September 2025. The authority said it contacted EU prosecutors then and was told a criminal investigation was underway. It checked again after the latest interview and was told the inquiry was still active.
The terminal is designed to let Cyprus import liquefied natural gas for power generation. When EU prosecutors announced their investigation in July 2024, they put the project’s cost at €542 million, including about €101 million in EU funding. They said they were investigating suspected procurement fraud, misuse of EU funds, and corruption.
