The government is appointing a team of independent criminal investigators to look into the findings regarding the “Mafia State” due to the enormous volume and complexity of the 3,000-page report, with the primary goal of restoring institutional integrity.

Speaking from the studio of the Alpha Kalimera program, Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letympiotis emphasized that the individuals selected must possess recognized standing, competence, experience, and, above all, must have no conflict of interest with the parties involved or their previous roles.

“Since there are certain specific criteria that must be met—as a matter of fact and, I believe, as a matter of course—by the individuals who will make up this team of Independent Criminal Investigators. (…) After an exchange of views, what was discussed as the most appropriate given the circumstances, given the volume of cases, the complexity of the situation, and the issues that arise, is to have a team—that is, more than one person. Furthermore, the initial assessment concerns the competence of those individuals who would potentially participate in this team of Independent Criminal Investigators, in terms of experience and relevance, and there is, of course, the self-evident aspect of the absence of a conflict of interest or a special relationship, and in the evaluation of some of the individuals who were considered, it appears that this issue does exist.”

He adds that this is self-evident given the number of individuals mentioned in the announcement by the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority, as well as the previous positions held by these individuals. 

“So this increases, to a certain extent, the complexity of the composition and structure of the Independent Team of Criminal Investigators, though this does not mean that certain considerations have not been made; assessments have been made, and these—as I said yesterday—must be handled properly, with full understanding, because I see some discussions regarding the issue of speed.”

When asked to comment on the background of the criminal investigators—and whether any of them would be from abroad—as well as the feedback the government is expected to receive, Mr. Letympiotis stated that he would be surprised if there were no comments, emphasizing that the priority is to ensure an impartial process.

“The government must act in accordance with the law and ensure that this process is fair. Because through this process, we must take another step—I hope it will be a big step, but a step nonetheless—toward restoring public trust in our institutions. And a full investigation of the matters mentioned in the announcement must be conducted in an objective manner, one that is not only impartial but also as brief as possible, because I am not in a position to know how much time the independent criminal investigators will need.”

“We’re not ruling anything out,” he emphasizes, adding that finding someone from abroad is not an end in itself.

“And this is a discussion we’ll have to have at some point. That people from abroad cannot always be considered to have greater standing than Cypriots. We have many highly qualified, reputable legal experts who have proven themselves in the past in similar cases.”

Regarding the duration of the investigations, Mr. Letympiotis stated that he cannot answer since he does not have the findings before him—nor should he—and that they are currently being finalized.

When asked about the government’s stance in the face of the political storm that has erupted—given that the President of the Republic’s position is delicate due to his service in the Anastasiades administration— Mr. Letympiotis replied:

“President Christodoulides is the guardian of the Cypriot Constitution, a role entrusted to him by the Cypriot people through a process that was clearly and entirely democratic. As the guardian of the Cypriot Constitution, the President of the Republic, the executive branch, the state at large, the legislative branch, and all institutions—we have an obligation to safeguard these institutions, to safeguard and faithfully follow the provisions of the Constitution, and to strive—and this may well be the greatest challenge of our time— to restore society’s trust. I have the feeling that, often, the way we conduct public discourse does not contribute positively to this restoration, society’s gradual restoration of trust in our institutions—but may actually exacerbate the problem. What I would say—and this is what I believe we, as a government, are earnestly striving to do—is that our positions are, of course, strictly institutional, because that is our role; this is our mission, and what is needed right now is level-headedness, responsibility, and rising to the occasion.”

He emphasizes that what society expects is progress at every level, taking all aspects into account.