Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus’s anti-corruption authority will issue an announcement by June 15 on its investigation into allegations contained in the book Mafia State, its head said on Tuesday. The authority had previously said it would publish its findings within June.
Investigation timeline
Transparency Commissioner Harris Poyadjis, who also heads the anti-corruption authority, declined to provide further details, citing confidentiality. He said the authority has suspended work on all other cases it is examining until it completes the Mafia State probe.
Scope of the report
The authority has said it will release only a statement setting out its main findings and will not publish the full report. If any criminal liability is identified, the material will be sent to the attorney-general’s office.
About the book
Mafia State was first published in late 2022 and is written by investigative journalist Makarios Drousiotis. The book has sold well, although exact sales figures are not available.
Allegations in the book
The book portrays Cyprus as a systemically corrupt state and makes allegations against former president Nicos Anastasiades and other senior officials. It claims a “gang” abolished the rule of law and says Anastasiades facilitated matters involving Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev, including private flights and a divorce case, in exchange for favours.
Further claims
The book also alleges that state-sponsored wiretapping and electronic surveillance were used against Drousiotis after he investigated the corruption networks.
