01.12.2022
Four accused of selling Cypriot passports (so-called “golden passports”) to dubious investors for cash were summoned on Wednesday to contest five charges against them in Nicosia’s criminal court. At the same time, the trial on three charges was delayed.
Lawyer Andreas Pittajis has denied the allegations, and hearings on three other key figures allegedly involved in the now-defunct Golden Passport scheme have been postponed until January 11.
The trial of Pittajis is scheduled for March 8-9 next year. To three other defendants, former Speaker of the House of Representatives Demetris Silluris , ex-AKEL MP and businessman Christakis Giovani , Giovani senior manager group António António was given until January to answer the accusations.
The four men face five charges, including conspiracy to overthrow the Republic and bribing a government official.
Attorney General George Savvides ordered a criminal investigation following the exposure of Al Jazeera and after evaluating the results of a public inquiry.
In August 2020, Al Jazeera said senior officials are ready to help a Chinese investor with a criminal record obtain a Cypriot passport for investment. Silluris and Giovani were secretly filmed in an attempt to make it easier for a fugitive investor to obtain a passport. The video also featured a well-known lawyer from Famagusta Pittagis and others associated with the Giovani Company .
On Wednesday , Pittajis denied the allegations against him. Lawyers representing the other three defendants filed pre-trial objections.
Syllouris is represented by Chris Triantafylides and a team of defense lawyers, while attorney George Papaioanna is representing Giovanis and Antóniou . António did not appear in court because he is ill with covid . Triantafylides argued that there had been an abuse of procedural power at the start of the proceedings, alleging a conflict of interest between the Attorney General and his Deputy Savvas Angelides .
He claimed that the three allegations concerned two passports issued to foreign nationals and approved by the cabinet in 2019, stressing that both Savvides , and Angelides were ministers at the time. He also stated that the other two allegations “relate to the involvement of a foreigner who is a fictitious person.” The latter referred to a fictitious Chinese crime boss of Al Jazeera journalists who asked the defendants to help them obtain a Cypriot passport.
The passport scheme was hastily canceled in November 2020 following the devastating effects of Al Jazeera reporting.
Following the accusations, the government instructed former judge Myron Nikolatos to investigate. The government was found to have broken the law countless times by granting citizenship to more than 6,700 people between 2007 and 2020.
The exposé report states that more than half (53%) of the 6,779 issued passports were illegally issued, fueled by a lack of due diligence or insufficient background checks.
The Cyprus passport scheme has brought in more than 8 billion euros during its existence. Nicosia began offering citizenship in exchange for significant investment as early as 2007; the scheme was strengthened after the 2013 economic crisis. The report also states that politicians and institutions are liable, and some applicants and service providers may be subject to criminal liability.
The Qatari broadcaster reported that dozens of those who applied for so-called “golden passports” were under criminal investigation, international sanctions or serving prison sentences.
Under this scheme, the government provided a passport for an investment of 2.5 million euros.
