AKEL issued a new statement expressing strong reservations about the credibility of the process to investigate the Anti-Corruption Authority’s findings regarding the “State Mafia” case. As the party argues, the government’s handling of the matter, rather than strengthening citizens’ trust in institutions, has “cast further doubt” on the process.

The party notes that the resignation of Christos Mylonopoulos—due, as it points out, “an obvious conflict of interest,” as well as the appointment of Ilias Anagnostopoulos to replace him, raise new and serious questions regarding the credibility of the investigation. At the same time, he insists that the issue of an objective conflict of interest remains unresolved.

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According to AKEL, “the recusal of the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General does not resolve the objective conflict of interest nor does it ensure the impartiality of the proceedings”, calling on the government to ensure that the criminal investigation is conducted with full transparency, independence, and without any shadows, conflicts of interest, or political interference.

The statement reads as follows:

The appointment of criminal investigators to probe the Anti-Corruption Authority’s report on the “State-Mafia” should have bolstered the credibility of the institutions. Instead, the Christodoulides government’s handling of the matter has cast further doubt on the process.

Mr. Mylonopoulos’s resignation, due to an obvious conflict of interest, and his replacement by Mr. Anagnostopoulos—Tal Dillian’s defense attorney in the wiretapping case in Greece—raise new and serious questions about the credibility of the investigation.

The fundamental problem, however, remains. The recusal of the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General, two former ministers in the Anastasiades government, does not resolve the objective conflict of interest nor ensure the impartiality of the proceedings.

Just as the involvement of the two former ministers undermines the credibility of the investigation, so too does the involvement of President Christodoulides, who is also a former minister and close associate of Nicos Anastasiades. It is precisely this relationship that should make him all the more careful in selecting criminal investigators and in safeguarding the independence of the investigation.

Instead, the government’s actions reinforce suspicions that an attempt is being made to cover up serious findings concerning the President’s political mentor.

The public demands full transparency and a truly independent criminal investigation, free from any shadows, conflicts of interest, or political interference.