Nicosia, Cyprus. The government will announce the appointment of criminal investigators to examine the findings of the Mafia State affair as soon as possible, potentially after Wednesday’s cabinet meeting, government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said on Monday. He said the investigators would be appointed to examine the findings of the anti-corruption authority’s report.
Appointment process
Wednesday’s cabinet meeting is expected to be the next opportunity for the appointments to be approved, provided the selection process is completed by then.
The appointments follow last week’s decision by the prosecutorial council of the state law office to forward the anti-corruption authority’s report, along with all supporting documents, to the police and cabinet so procedures can begin for investigating any potential criminal offences arising from the findings.
Panel of investigators
The government has confirmed it will appoint a panel of investigators rather than a single individual to examine the case.
The selection process has taken longer than initially anticipated after several lawyers approached for the role declined to participate, citing conflicts of interest.
President Nikos Christodoulides has since expanded the search to include candidates from abroad.
Selection criteria and legal support
Letymbiotis said the main criterion remains the appointment of individuals of “unquestionable prestige” with no actual or perceived conflict of interest.
He also confirmed that some candidates had themselves identified potential conflicts, making their participation inappropriate.
Any legal assistance required during the process will come from the prosecutorial council after attorney-general George Savvides and his deputy Savvas Angelides recused themselves from the case.