**Title: Anti-Corruption Authority Rejects Complaints Against Deputy Attorney General in Secrecy**
The Anti-Corruption Authority of Cyprus has quietly dismissed three complaints against Deputy Attorney General Savvas Angelides, according to reports from the news outlet INK. These complaints, submitted by former auditor-general Odysseas Michaelides in May 2023, were part of a larger set of six allegations against Angelides, but the authority chose not to make any public announcements regarding their rejection.
The three dismissed complaints followed a separate investigative process from the other three, which were publicly addressed and ultimately led to Angelides being exonerated. The decision to keep the rejections confidential has raised questions about transparency and accountability in the handling of complaints against high-ranking officials.
The delay in addressing these complaints was notable, with nearly two years passing before any significant response was provided. During this period, the legal service reportedly began inquiring about the status of the cases, emphasizing the need for resolution given the serious nature of the allegations against a senior official. The Anti-Corruption Authority attributed the prolonged timeline to staffing shortages, which hindered their ability to process the complaints in a timely manner.
One of the complaints centered on a tax issue related to the family of former minister Socratis Hasikos. Michaelides raised concerns regarding Angelides' management of this matter, but the authority ultimately dismissed the complaint without any public disclosure of its findings.
Another complaint involved a bus company case where prosecutions had been suspended due to allegations concerning the declared mileage for which the company had received state compensation. This case had already resulted in convictions for several company executives. Michaelides questioned how Angelides handled the suspended prosecutions of three drivers linked to this case; however, this complaint was also dismissed without public announcement.
The third complaint alleged a potential conflict of interest involving Angelides and three companies connected to the ongoing surveillance controversy known as the "black van" case, which is associated with the Predator spyware scandal in Greece. This complaint pointed to changes in corporate ownership involving companies linked to Angelides' brother and Israeli businessman Avraam Shahak Avni. It specifically highlighted secretarial services provided to these companies, one of which was removed from the Cyprus companies register shortly after Angelides publicly denied the allegations against him in August 2022. Like the other complaints, this allegation was also rejected without any public statement.
The Anti-Corruption Authority has maintained that Angelides was included in the scope of the inquiry into the "black van" case from the beginning. However, the authority's terms of reference, published on July 16, focused on the arrival of the black van in Cyprus and its subsequent activities, rather than on Angelides' conduct. It was reported that Angelides left a meeting at the legal service on July 29 when it became clear that his actions would be scrutinized. Following this, Attorney-General George Savvides sent a letter the next day, asserting that all matters the authority intended to investigate had already been addressed.
The decision to reject the complaints without public disclosure has sparked discussions regarding the need for greater transparency in the investigation of allegations against public officials. Critics argue that the lack of public announcements undermines trust in the anti-corruption framework and raises concerns about the accountability of those in positions of power.
As the situation continues to unfold, the implications of these rejections and the handling of the complaints against Angelides may prompt further scrutiny from both the public and oversight bodies in Cyprus. The Anti-Corruption Authority's approach to these cases will likely remain a topic of interest as calls for transparency and accountability in government continue to grow.