The stain is enormous, even without ‘Mafia State’, Nikos Anastasiades

Opinion corruptionpresident anastasiades The stain is enormous, even without ‘Mafia State’, Nikos Anastasiades Anastasiades Corruption Relevant News Anastasiades’s dribble 24 June 2026 The stain is enormous, even without ‘Mafia State’, Nikos Anastasiades 24 June 2026 The picture of corruption is pitch black and not easily glossed over 24 June 2026 Giorgos Kallinikou 24 June 2026 FacebookXWhatsAppEmailPrintViber It was a grand performance. Drenched in legalese, he took on everyone: the Independent Authority Against Corruption, the inspectors who conducted the Mafia State investigation, all his enemies at home and abroad, and Drousiotis himself. In the end, he alone, flawless and infallible, pronounced judgment. Everyone else is lying. Everyone else is wrong. But the biggest mistake, ironically, was his own. He still hasn’t grasped that society couldn’t care less whether he or Drousiotis is right. He hasn’t realised that the real war is society versus corruption. The report, Nikos Anastasiades, came to a society simmering with anger for years. This time, it is facing its worst nightmare. For the first time, an independent institution has documented an entire system sinking in the mire: institutions, the banking sector, judges, prosecutors, lawyers, ministers, members of parliament, the executive, legislative and judicial branches alike. The rule of law has already been stretched to the limit by those controlling the repugnant system. Faced with this horror, you tried to repeat that irritating line from the past — that you are “spotless and untainted” — claiming that everyone else is wrong. And, to be convincing, you adopted a method that, I admit, moved me. I felt sorry. My eyes welled up. Who wouldn’t tear up before such injustice? Seven times you repeated that, in the seven cases against you, these godless inspectors didn’t mention a thing, so that you could respond, bless you… But Nikos Anastasiades, in your mania to prove your purity, you made two major errors. First, you repeated several times that all of Drousiotis’ serious claims against you were disproved by the Authority’s investigation, and therefore don’t appear in the report. At the same time, you accused the investigators of being wrong in every single case where the report attributes potential criminal offences to you. How persuasive can you be arguing that way? Everything in your favour is right, everything against you is wrong. You’re a lawyer. You should know that no court would accept such a contradictory argument. Second, driven by the same compulsion to appear unblemished, you accused the Independent Authority Against Corruption and the inspectors of “lacking the will to confront populism, the toxic atmosphere created by popular tribunals, character assassins, and malicious internet users.” A colossal mistake, Nikos Anastasiades. First, because you undermine an independent institution, something you have done repeatedly in your tenure. This time, moreover, it’s against an institution you yourself created. When you were backed into a corner over the Golden Passports scandal, desperate to wipe the stains… How ironic. That very institution is now putting you against the wall. And now, Nikos Anastasiades, try to convince people that an experienced Australian lawyer, Gabrielle Louise McIntyre, came to Cyprus just to lend an ear to the populists. For context: Ms McIntyre is an expert in international legal practice, international humanitarian law, international criminal law, human rights law, and administrative law. She has served on numerous international committees and bodies. I share your pain, Nikos Anastasiades, but it’s time to get serious. All of the above wasn’t enough — you even invoked Christofias, referencing the Golden Passports, in a way that implicitly suggested blame also lay with his predecessors. Let me remind you of the numbers so you don’t get carried away: under Tassos Papadopoulos, five citizenships were granted; under Dimitris Christofias, two hundred and twenty-eight; under Nikos Anastasiades, six thousand five hundred and forty-six. Half of yours were illegal! To conclude the media spectacle, Nikos Anastasiades, we repeat yet again: the people, with or without State Mafia, with or without the Independent Authority Against Corruption, with or without these alleged criminal offences, lived through your ten years in office. They judged you on everything. The Golden Passports scandal that disgraced our country globally. The flights on the Saudi prince’s jet to the Seychelles. The Cooperative Bank. The Vasilikos scandal. The Larnaca port scandal. Countless foreign reports targeting you personally while you spoke of slander and fabrication. And a hundred other things… The stain is now enormous, Nikos Anastasiades, unrelated to the report, and it isn’t going anywhere. The majority of the public ranks your tenure at rock bottom. It no longer matters whether Drousiotis is vindicated. The ball is now in the institutions’ court. The public demands that the Authority’s report be handled with absolute objectivity. To achieve this, two things are essential: First, the appointment of independent criminal investigators — foreign ones would be even better — and an independent public prosecutor. The Presidential Palace should take this seriously. Second, the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General must resign. Their presence has cast a shadow of suspicion over the Law Office. Yesterday, the Prosecutorial Council washed its hands of the matter, effectively confirming that the resignations of Savvides and Angelides are unavoidable. Only then can Anastasiades say what he believes in court — not at a press conference. Subscribe to our Newsletter Latest News Anastasiades’s dribble The picture of corruption is pitch black and not easily glossed over That December day… More heat records expected as deadly ‘Omega’ heatwave grips Europe Law Office shelves former DISY MP Sykas’s domestic violence case, citing insufficient evidence Overnight pharmacies on Wednesday, June 24 Cyprus extends fuel tax cut to August as Iran war keeps energy prices elevated Follow en.philenews on Google News and be the first to know all the news about Cyprus and the world.