Nicosia, Cyprus. The anti-corruption authority said it will release technical data on Tuesday about its investigation into allegations of systemic corruption raised in the book Mafia State by journalist Makarios Drousiotis. The authority said it will not make public any findings at this time.
Technical details to be disclosed
Head of the authority Harris Poyadjis said the information to be released will include the number of pages in the investigators’ report, the number of evidentiary items, and the number of witnesses interviewed.
Board review and conclusions
Poyadjis said the investigators’ report was delivered to the board of the anti-corruption authority late last week, and the board will study the dossier and issue its own conclusions. He clarified that the report itself will not be published, only the authority’s conclusions after reviewing the dossier.
Possible referral to attorney-general
Poyadjis said that if any criminal wrongdoing is established, the anti-corruption authority will relay those points to the attorney-general’s office.
Timing and election context
Asked when the authority might publish its conclusions, Poyadjis did not provide a date, citing the volume of the report. Observers have said it is highly unlikely the conclusions would be released before the May 24 parliamentary elections.
Allegations and legal action
Drousiotis’ book alleges systemic corruption and abuse of power, including claims involving former president Nicos Anastasiades, who has denied wrongdoing and pursued legal action against the author. Anastasiades has filed a €2 million defamation lawsuit.
What do you expect the authority’s conclusions to clarify about the allegations raised in Mafia State?