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Two of Cyprus’s most high-profile politicians caught up in the “golden passports” scandal stood before a criminal court on Thursday to declare they had done nothing wrong.
Former House Speaker Dimitris Syllouris and former MP Christakis Tziovanis, both defendants in the naturalization case, pleaded not guilty to charges linked to the now-defunct citizenship-for-investment scheme that once drew billions into Cyprus but collapsed in disgrace in 2020.
The defense sought to portray both men’s actions as part of legitimate political and economic work rather than corruption.
In his brief statement, Syllouris said he never acted illegally and never intended to. “I categorically declare that I am innocent of all the charges,” he told the Nicosia Permanent Criminal Court, adding the case had unfairly caused “enormous problems” for him and his family. His lawyer stressed that the statement was unsubstantiated, meaning he would not be presenting detailed arguments at this stage.
Tziovanis also denied wrongdoing. He insisted that documents tied to the naturalization of Russian national Nikolai Gornovsky were prepared or requested by his longtime lawyer, Andreas Pittatzis. “I never thought or believed there was anything reprehensible, nor did I do anything reprehensible,” he told the court.
The defense sought to portray both men’s actions as part of legitimate political and economic work rather than corruption. Witness Socrates Socratous, who was Director General of Parliament during Syllouris’s tenure as House Speaker, testified about Syllouris’s official trips abroad, including a 2019 parliamentary mission to China. He said such visits were common practice under parliamentary diplomacy, aimed at strengthening ties, promoting trade, and attracting investment to Cyprus.
Socratous also noted that delegations often included representatives of the Cyprus Investment Promotion Agency, whose role was to promote investment opportunities such as the citizenship-by-investment program. He confirmed that party leaders, not Syllouris, decided which MPs joined such delegations.
As further evidence, the court accepted a 2015 letter from the then-President of Cyprus authorizing Syllouris to seek foreign investment, something the defense says proves his actions were officially sanctioned.
The trial continues on September 15, when witnesses called by Tziovanis’s defense will take the stand.
