Nikos Christodoulides has become accustomed to disregarding any trace of justice and equality before the law
Statement by Haris Polycarpou, member of the Political Bureau and Head of Economic Policy of AKEL
12 July 2026, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia
Nikos Christodoulides’ decision to renew the appointment of Andreas Paschalides as president of the Independent Authority for the Investigation of Allegations and Complaints against the Police (AADIPA), Andreas Paschalides, constitutes an institutional aberration, violates every concept of good governance and ethics, and is a gross insult to the intelligence of society as a whole.
Mr. Paschalides, a criminal investigator in the “VideoGate” case, secured the renewal of his term by Nikos Christodoulides and his Ministerial Cabinet at the very time he is investigating the case involving the Office of the President and Nikos Christodoulides himself regarding institutional corruption and entanglement, potential political bribery, and the use of the First Lady’s Fund in exchange for political favours.
This decision, at this particular juncture—just a few days before the release of the findings on the “VideoGate”—is completely at odds with the need for an impartial investigation and casts serious doubt on the findings even before they are published.
When the person under investigation for institutional corruption and entanglement reappoints the very person investigating him, then the issue is not a legal one but a profoundly political one. Through his actions, Mr. Christodoulides has become accustomed to flouting every trace of justice and the rule of law, following faithfully in the footsteps of his predecessor.
