The government is going on the offensive in response to criticism of the findings in criminal investigator Andreas Paschalidis’s report on the high-profile “Videogate,” in which he found no criminal offenses on the part of the “key figures” and referred to “empty rhetoric and hot air.”

Speaking on the “Alpha Summer” program, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letympiotis noted that the criminal investigator found “nothing reprehensible,” in line with the government’s initial position, as the government is well aware of the procedures it follows and there was no possibility of non-compliance with the provisions regarding government policies.

“It was a compilation of clips and not the entire footage, which was 26 hours long and was made available to them, and they have viewed it; testimonies have been taken in cooperation with the police, and it has been determined that this was a malicious compilation intended to draw conclusions about government policies and officials that were baseless, were unfounded, and did not correspond to reality.”

SEE ALSO: “Hasty Conclusion”: Black Cube’s attorney reveals what his clients testified before Paschalidis

Mr. Letympiotis expressed satisfaction with the extension of Mr. Paschalidis’s appointment until the end of 2026, with the aim of identifying the person who commissioned the production of the video—something we should all have demanded.

“We hope and want this case to be resolved as soon as possible, to get to the heart of the matter and uncover the root cause so that the motives become clear.”

READ ALSO: “Premature Conclusion”: Black Cube’s attorney reveals what his clients testified before Paschalidis

The Government Spokesperson, however, rejected the notion that reports of “empty rhetoric and hot air” pertained to close associates of President Christodoulides explaining that some people had made baseless claims even before the investigation had begun.

“What a sense of justice and level-headedness demand is that this statement be read in light of the many hours of video footage now at their disposal.”

SEE ALSO: What Andreas Paschalidis’s report didn’t say

Responding to criticism from the opposition regarding Paschalidis’s reappointment as Chairman of the Independent Authority for the Investigation of Allegations and Complaints against the Police, Mr. Letympiotis emphasized that, as a criminal investigator, he was selected by the Legal Service.

“This relationship existed previously; it is institutionally distinct. And the insinuations made by those who criticize him must be addressed clearly. What are they claiming? That Mr. Paschalidis, a distinguished legal scholar, has been influenced? Do they mean that Mr. Paschalidis’s investigation, conducted in cooperation with the police, is not objective? If that is what they mean, they must state it clearly and not through insinuations. And, of course, they must also prove it. We cannot undermine institutions or tarnish their credibility to serve political agendas. If there is evidence, they must present it. What they’re proving is that if any finding doesn’t align with their own political narrative, they reject it.”

SEE ALSO: Videogate Findings: The “nonsense,” the “hot air,” and the parties’ reactions