"A good day starts in the morning," as the wise saying goes, but this does not apply to the five-member team of independent criminal investigators, who, after an eventful two-week search, was appointed this morning by the Cabinet with a mandate to investigate the findings regarding the “State Mafia.”

“Today’s decision reflects the Government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and strengthening citizens’ trust in institutions.” ^{Konstantinos Letympiotis, Government Spokesperson}
The investigators 

The five investigators who are taking on the “State Mafia” starting today are:

• Vasileios Skouris, Professor Emeritus of Public Law at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
• Christos Mylonopoulos, Professor Emeritus of Criminal Law at the University of Athens 
• Sotiris Liasidis, a former judge, had been appointed by the Anti-Corruption Authority to investigate Marinos Sizopoulos, in connection with which potential criminal offenses had been identified
• Nikolas Koursaris, Criminal Defense Attorney and Vice Chair of the Nicosia Bar Association Committee
• Dimitris Tsolakkides, Criminal Defense Attorney and Member of the Criminal Justice Committee of the Cyprus Bar Association. He was one of the officials at the Anti-Corruption Authority who investigated financial contributions to DISY through “golden passports.”

In total, the government approached 47 legal professionals to staff the team of independent criminal investigators, which also highlights the difficulty in finding them, as many cited a conflict of interest.

“The Cabinet today selected a team of distinguished legal experts with extensive experience, and as of today, they will begin their work to assist in the investigations,” said ^{Konstantinos Letympiotis, Government Spokesperson.}

Their term will be six months, with the possibility of extension.

With distinguished credentials

The résumés of the two Greek legal experts are particularly impressive, with distinguished achievements in the field of law. Vasileios Skouris has served as President of the Court of Justice of the European Union and twice as Minister of the Interior. In 2017, he was elected chairman of FIFA’s Ethics and Disciplinary Committee. 

“It was a pleasant surprise to see his name. He is a leading authority in European law. He is one of the most renowned figures in the field of legal science in Greece.” ^{Simos Angelidis, Lawyer}

Christos Mylonopoulos is president of the Institute of European and International Criminal Law and holds an honorary doctorate from the School of Social Sciences at the University Cyprus. In 2023, he was elected a member of the Scientific Council of the International Academy Against Corruption. 

“They are individuals of recognized standing and with extensive experience that no one can dispute.” ^{Konstantinos Letympiotis, Government Spokesperson}

Karabola

However, before the ink on the appointment had even dried, the controversies began, with prominent legal experts raising the issue of recusal for Christos Mylonopoulos, as he had represented shipowner Michalis Zolotas in the Focus case—which is being reopened— and had collaborated with Achilleas Emilianidis, who currently represents Nikos Anastasiadis.

“Since they are called upon to investigate the Focus, Zolotas, and Laiki, and given that Mr. Mylonopoulos acted as Mr. Zolotas’s attorney in Greece and in the extradition proceedings in Cyprus, it is clear that there is a very clear and unambiguous conflict of interest.” ^{Simos Angelidis, Lawyer}

According to information Alpha has received from sources in Lofos, Mylonopoulos’s involvement was not only known but was the very reason for the delay in announcing the appointment of the investigators.

The team of five had been finalized since the beginning of the week, but the final response from the two Greeks arrived only yesterday.

The participation of the two Greek nationals was up in the air, as it had been made a condition that both take part in the investigations. To resolve the issue, it was decided to exclude Mylonopoulos from the criminal investigation into matters related to Focus.

See the report by Christoforos Nestoros