Nicosia, Cyprus. Former president Nicos Anastasiades said he offered advice to President Nikos Christodoulides following the publication of a video alleging campaign finance lawbreaking by Christodoulides and his associates. Anastasiades said he expressed regret and suggested steps to help reduce tensions.
Comments on timing and editing of the video
Speaking on television channel Alpha on Sunday evening, Anastasiades did not explicitly endorse the government’s view that the video constituted a “hybrid” attack on Cyprus. He said the timing of the video’s release raised doubts about the intentions of those who released it and those who sought to extract statements.
He said the video was released the day after Cyprus assumed the presidency of the Council of the European Union, adding that he did not consider this a coincidence.
Anastasiades also said the portions of the video featuring Christodoulides’ associates—former minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis, former chief of staff Charalambos Charalambous, and Cyfield chief executive officer Giorgos Chrysochos—contained only short snippets of the questions being asked.
He said the material had been edited without including the questions posed by those on the other side.
Investigation and calls for restraint
Anastasiades said the content of the video was such that it would cause reactions, while stressing the need to respect procedures and the constitutional requirement of the presumption of innocence.
He said the matter was under investigation and that political responsibilities had been assumed through the resignations of the first lady and Charalambous. He called on political parties to wait rather than exploit the crisis.
Anastasiades said the seriousness of the situation should not be ignored but cautioned against exaggeration that could produce the opposite of the intended results. He noted that a criminal investigator has been appointed.
He said everything related to the video and everything said in it is under investigation, and urged restraint.
How do you think political parties should respond while the investigation into the video continues?
