Nicosia, Cyprus. Attorney-general George Savvides and his deputy Savvas Angelides said on Wednesday they will recuse themselves from any further involvement in investigations related to an anti-corruption authority report that found former president Nicos Anastasiades may be criminally liable for abuse of power. Legal service criminal law section head Elena Cleopa also said she will abstain from the proceedings.
Recusal announcements
Savvides said he had contacted transparency commissioner Harris Poyiadjis to ask whether the anti-corruption authority intends to send the full 3,000-word report to the legal service. According to Savvides, Poyiadjis told him he would be “in no position” to do so until next week.
Savvides said that, “in line with” this, he “will refrain from any evaluation and decision-making in relation to the finding, due to the involvement of [Anastasiades], both given the relationship and friendship with [him] and to ensure objective impartiality in the handling and decision-making” regarding the case.
Deputy attorney-general stance
Angelides said he will “refrain from any evaluation and decision-making in relation to the finding for the purposes of ensuring objective impartiality in the handling and decision-making”.
Senior legal service official abstains
Cleopa said she will “abstain from the proceedings”, citing the fact that she had been summoned to testify by the anti-corruption authority as part of its investigation into the case.