Nicosia, Cyprus. Lawyer Leto Kariolou on Tuesday called for the removal of attorney-general Giorgos Savvides and his deputy Savvas Angelides if a criminal investigation is launched against former president Nicos Anastasiades. Her comments followed the release of an anti-corruption authority report listing several cases in which Anastasiades may have abused his presidential powers.
Call for removal
Kariolou, who represents Makarios Drousiotis, told Omega that Savvides and Angelides should not remain in their posts if a criminal investigation is to proceed. She said both men had been appointed by Anastasiades and had previously served as ministers in his government.
Report findings
According to Kariolou, the report’s findings marked a “first vindication in a multi-year struggle” for her client. She said the findings confirmed the “possible commission of extremely serious criminal offences of abuse of power and corruption” across multiple state institutions, including the police, Legal Service, the anti-money laundering unit (Mokas) and parts of the judiciary.
Concerns over independence
Kariolou said the next issue was how the findings would be handled by the Legal Service, which alone can order a criminal investigation. She warned that partial recusal within the prosecutorial hierarchy would not resolve concerns about independence and impartiality.
“Even if they (Savvides and Angelides) are excluded from this case, if the case is handled by officials who are hierarchically accountable to them, there is still a problem,” she said. “Independence is not just about existing; it is also about being seen.”
Call for government action
Kariolou said the government should act without delay and called for the cabinet to appoint independent criminal investigators. She added that the findings strengthened calls for accountability at the top of the prosecutorial structure.
