Papadakis to take legal action after police find no evidence supporting allegations

Nicosia, Cyprus. Former MEP and deselected Alma candidate Demetris Papadakis said on Wednesday he would pursue legal action against Makarios Drousiotis after police concluded that allegations against him were not supported by evidence.

The announcement came hours after police chief Themistos Arnaoutis said investigators had found no evidence to substantiate allegations involving sexual abuse, corruption, blackmail, surveillance and interference in state institutions.

Police findings

Police said disputed messages and audio recordings central to the claims were “false and fabricated”.

The legal service also directed further examination of potential offences related to “the creation, publication and public dissemination” of the material.

Papadakis statement

In a statement, Papadakis said the outcome of the investigation was not a surprise.

He said that from the beginning he had maintained that the messages concerning him were fabricated and had no connection to reality.

Papadakis said he had fallen victim to what he described as a major political conspiracy and that its implications should be fully investigated.

Impact on candidacy

Papadakis said his priority was restoring his reputation after the allegations contributed to his removal from Alma’s electoral ballot ahead of the parliamentary elections.

He said preserving his personal dignity and his name was what mattered most.

Background

In April, Alma removed Papadakis from its election list after allegations published by Drousiotis linked him to disputed messages tied to wider claims surrounding a former Supreme Court judge.

Papadakis had consistently denied the allegations and said the material was fabricated.