Source: CNA
President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, has contacted a US administration high-ranking official expressing the government's will and determination to look into the cases of natural and legal entities in Cyprus that have been included in the US list of sanctions for facilitating Russian oligarchs who are subject to sanctions, asking for more information that will facilitate this investigation, Government Spokesperson, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, has told the Cyprus News Agency (CNA).
Replying to questions by CNA on a story about this issue published on Tuesday by "Phileleftheros" daily newspaper, Letymbiotis also noted that Foreign Minister, Konstantinos Kombos, had a meeting with US Ambassador in Cyprus Julie Fisher and had a discussion with her on this issue along the same lines. "The Cyprus government has expressed in this way its readiness to cooperate with the US indicating that it does not conceal anything," the spokesperson underlined.
He went on to say that President Christodoulides had this communication to convey the determination of the Cyprus government to fully investigate this issue and asked for data that will facilitate this investigation.
During the contacts made the Cypriot officials expressed the will and the determination to look into these cases and if any offenses are detected then possible perpetrators will appear before justice. And for this investigation to take place more information is needed, Letymbiotis added.
He said that the Law Office and the supervisory authorities are already investigating this issue but more information is needed from the US as regards the inclusion of these entities in the list of sanctions.
"The issue is whether the reasons that led to their inclusion in this list, whether the evidence they have to prove that when EU sanctions were in place these entities proceeded with any action that constituted a violation of these sanctions or the legislation of Cyprus," the spokesperson noted.
He went on to say that "we ask for evidence in order to carry out this investigation and see whether since the EU sanctions have been put into effect these individuals have in any way facilitated oligarchs and have evaded sanctions, and therefore further action is required."
Last week, Cypriot individuals and entities were sanctioned by the US Treasury and the UK Foreign Office “in connection with the Russian Federation’s unlawful and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, including facilitators of sanctions evasion.”
