Statement on the “Black Van” Case is expected to be issued on Monday by the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority, as stated on Wednesday before the Parliamentary Committee on Institutions, Values, and the Commissioner for Administration, as stated by the Authority’s Commissioner for Transparency, Haris Poyatzis, during the discussion of the European Commission’s report on the rule of law in Cyprus.
Responding to a question from ALMA MP Irini Charalambidou regarding whether the Authority had begun investigating the case, Mr. Poyatzis said that “the Authority will issue a statement on Monday.”
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
During the session, the case was linked to broader issues concerning the Authority’s effectiveness and its investigative powers.
Ms. Charalambidou criticized the delay in advancing the relevant bill, stating that it is not possible for the Authority to finalize a finding only to have it returned to the Legal Service, forcing the process to start over.
The Director General of the Ministry of Justice, George Panteli, stated that a bill has been drafted to strengthen the Anti-Corruption Authority and has been sent for review, noting that “the process has begun.”
During the discussion, Mr. Panteli also addressed the fight against organized crime, saying that statements regarding the underworld’s infiltration of Cyprus are generalizations, while the Ministry of Justice and the Police are continuing their efforts and, as he said, there are “tangible results.”
Ms. Charalambidou, referring to a recent statement claiming that “the underworld has infiltrated Cypriot politics,” said that the Ministry of Justice should take notice and investigate what is happening. As she noted, if Cypriot citizens do not feel safe, “the rule of law is being eroded.”
The Director of the Police Crime Prevention Department, Thomas Hadjikyriakou, stated that the police need sufficient evidence to take action, while noting that the Internal Affairs Service reports directly to the Attorney General. At the same time, he noted that the Organized Crime Directorate, modeled after the FBI, is expected to become operational within the year.
Ms. Charalambidou insisted that the burden of testimony cannot be shifted to citizens when they themselves are at risk. “Why should a citizen bear the burden of testifying when they themselves are in danger?” she asked—a position with which AKEL MP Konstantinos Konstantinou also agreed.
Mr. Panteli rejected the view that this constitutes a failure, stating that the Ministry is cooperating with other authorities within the EU and is striving to carry out its work as effectively as possible.
The Operation of the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority
The Committee Chair and DISY MP, Dimitris Dimitriou, asked the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority for an update on plans to inform the public, public access to the digital registry planned for 2027, as well as the need to review the whistleblower protection system.
In response, Mr. Poyatzis addressed the Authority’s staffing, noting that when it began operations, it had only three administrative staff members and that, as of April 2024, there was only one officer assigned to investigate complaints. Since April 2024, a team of seven officers and two staff members has been in operation, and today a total of 16 people are employed.
According to Mr. Poyatzis, “every request has been fully met,” while the relevant legislation has been passed and the staffing plans have been approved; these are currently before the Council of Ministers and are expected to lead to the filling of the positions.
Referring to the complaints, he said that many are already being dismissed at the preliminary stage, as they do not contain sufficient evidence. Regarding lobbying legislation, he noted that the relevant software is expected to be ready in March 2027.
On the protection of whistleblowers, he said that the existing legislation has “far too many gaps” and does not provide adequate protection, noting that this is a European-wide problem. As he noted, the Authority has received fewer than ten whistleblowing complaints. At the same time, he said that public awareness campaigns have begun.
Regarding corruption in public procurement, a representative of the General Accounting Office stated that problems related to violations of public procurement regulations have been acknowledged, and a staff training program is currently underway. At the same time, he noted that the Exclusion Committee has not yet been appointed and the matter is under discussion with the Ministry of Finance, with the process having been pending for about a year.
The Commissioner for Legislation, Sophia Kleopa Hatzikyriakou, referred to problems in the legislation regarding the “declaration of assets,” noting that the relevant bills are ready and are with the Ministry. Regarding citizens’ access to information, she said there are proposals to improve existing legislation, with the aim of enhancing transparency.
In remarks following the meeting, the Committee Chair and DISY MP, Dimitris Dimitriou, referred to corruption issues within law enforcement agencies, as well as their ties to the underworld.
On behalf of AKEL, MP Konstantinos Konstantinou referred to the “Black Van” case, stating that “this is a case that, in our view, was closed through expedited proceedings for reasons that may not have been in the public interest” and that is why our long-standing demand is “to reopen this case” and finally stop invoking the public interest in this country without explaining exactly what the public interest is.
“Because only in this way can we strengthen citizens’ conviction that they truly live and operate within a state governed by the rule of law,” he said.
ELAM MP Marios Pelekanos described the European Commission’s report as an “institutional mirror,” noting that, despite steps forward, there remains a gap between legislation, implementation, and the actual outcome for citizens.
“For us, this report is an institutional mirror. Cyprus, as evidenced by the findings of this report, has taken significant steps in the right direction. However, there is still a long way to go between legislation, implementation, and the actual impact experienced by citizens,” he said.
Mr. Pelekanos noted that the goal is to acknowledge the weaknesses identified in the report and to address them with specific actions, timelines, and measurable results, identifying, among other things, the fight against corruption as an area requiring further improvement.
ALMA MP Irini Charalambidou referred after the session to the bill she had introduced, which, as she said, was passed unanimously, regarding cooperation between the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority and the Tax Commissioner, so that the Authority’s findings are forwarded, especially in cases involving corruption by government officials.
He also referred to the need to strengthen the investigative powers of the Anti-Corruption Authority, an issue that, as he said, has been raised repeatedly.
Regarding the “Black Van” case, he expressed the hope that the involvement of individuals from the Legal Service in the case would not hinder its investigation by the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority.
Source: CNA
