Conflict-of-interest concerns raised over Mafia State investigators

Local corruptionCrimeIndependent Authority against CorruptionNicos AnastasiadesTop News Conflict-of-interest concerns raised over Mafia State investigators Conflict Of Interest Concerns Raised Over Mafia State Investigators Relevant News Conflict-of-interest concerns raised over Mafia State investigators 3 July 2026 Low-income pensioners could see 50% increase, minister says 3 July 2026 Father charged over deaths of sons found in car is remanded in custody 3 July 2026 Michalis Hadjivasilis 3 July 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber Cyprus has named five criminal investigators to examine potential criminal liability of state officials over the “Mafia State” report, 16 days after the findings were announced, but the appointment has been overshadowed by claims that one member has a conflict of interest. The five-member team, made up of two Greek and three Cypriot investigators, mirrors the model used in the Thanasis Nicolaou case and will be supported by a police investigative team, according to reports. It remains unclear who will ultimately decide whether, and against whom, criminal prosecutions are justified. The Council of Ministers appointed the following investigators: Vasilios Skouris, emeritus professor of public law at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and former President of the Court of Justice of the European Union, who will head the team. Christos Mylonopoulos, emeritus professor of criminal law at the University of Athens. Sotiris Liasidis, a former Family Court judge. Nicolas Koursaris, a lawyer specialising in criminal proceedings and vice-president of the Nicosia Bar Association. Dimitris Tsolakidis, a criminal lawyer and member of the Criminal Justice Committee and the Criminal Law Sub-Committee of the Cyprus Bar Association. According to legal sources, Skouris’ appointment was well received, but with the exception of Tsolakidis, none of the other members has a background in criminal investigation, sources told Phileleftheros, adding that police support for the team could help address this. Once the five names were announced, online searches quickly surfaced Mylonopoulos’ 2016 legal representation of Michalis Zolotas in proceedings concerning his extradition to Cyprus over the Focus case. Asked by Phileleftheros to comment, Mylonopoulos confirmed he had represented Zolotas at one stage and said it had been agreed that he would recuse himself from that part of the investigation. Legal expert Christos Clerides described the inclusion of Mylonopoulos as unfortunate, not on the grounds of his qualifications, but because reports indicate he had acted as Zolotas’ lawyer in the Focus extradition proceedings from Greece. Clerides said this created involvement in the Focus case that objectively could undermine confidence in the team’s full independence, adding that his inclusion made him an integral part of the team regardless of any recusal, since his views and presence could still influence other members on that matter and others under investigation. Lawyer Christoforos Christofi took a similar position, writing that Mylonopoulos’ participation raised a serious obstacle given his prior legal representation of Zolotas in the Focus proceedings in Greece, and that this presented a potential conflict of interest since the case is expected to fall within the scope of the investigation. Clerides also raised concerns over the inclusion of Koursaris, vice-president of the Nicosia Bar Association, arguing that lawyers who serve on bar association bodies, local or national, should have no involvement whatsoever in criminal investigations. He cited the case of Nicolas Koursaris, vice-president of the Cyprus Bar Association, who he said had been a senior figure at the Andreas Neocleous law firm, implicated in the case, and was married to a serving senior judge. There was no government response to these concerns, which appear to have been set aside given that Mylonopoulos will step back from the Focus-related part of the inquiry. Investigation to work alongside police Government Spokesperson Letymbiotis said the investigators’ inquiry will be carried out in cooperation with police, a decision taken partly for practical reasons, since police can act quickly to obtain warrants and are familiar with investigative procedure. Letymbiotis said the investigators would operate within the existing legal and institutional framework, examining the matters set out in the Authority’s report. Their appointment will last six months, with the possibility of extension if a reasoned written request is submitted to the Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers also approved the provision of necessary administrative staff and suitably equipped office space, to allow the investigators to carry out their work until its completion. Several questions remain unanswered, including who will review the investigators’ findings and decide whether prosecutions should follow, who will provide legal guidance to the investigators if legal obstacles arise, and what the precise terms of reference of the investigators are. On the question of appointing a private prosecutor, the Government Spokesperson said this was a matter for the Attorney General, who is the only official authorised to appoint a prosecutor outside the Law Office. Asked about conflict-of-interest concerns regarding the appointees, Letymbiotis said that from the moment the Independent Authority Against Corruption’s report was announced, given the number of people named and their professional standing, it was understood that assembling the team would be difficult, since alongside the necessary knowledge and experience, members also needed to be free of conflicts of interest or any other particular relationship with those named in the Authority’s report. 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