No more – enough is enough! – Article by Eleni Mavrou, AKEL Political Bureau member

 

Corruption phenomena, whether massive or small, have plagued this country for decades.

The difference is that over the past nine years, corruption stems from the highest echelons of power, affecting the President of the Republic himself. Never before has there been a widespread impression internationally that Cyprus is a hotspot for money laundering and never before have we experienced the misfortune of the President of the State being referred to in the international mass media as the “Offshore President”.

This is the reply to those who, whether well-intentionally or in bad faith, wondered yesterday why AKEL is organising anti-corruption mobilisations. This is also the reply to the government spokesman who yesterday remembered to give us lessons in “political morality’, characterising any demand for transparency and cleansing, for the protection of our dignity, as “undermining institutions”.

It isn’t the debate on corruption that is damaging the country. It is corruption itself. Which has been widespread under the present government. Which is damaging the economy by deterring serious investors from investing in Cyprus. Which undermines institutions, democracy, justice and equality before the law.

We are no longer talking about mistakes and omissions, which are human. We are no longer talking about a cover-up! Even to this day, the Attorney General himself insists on keeping the findings of investigations “blacked out”, with names and situations hidden in black. The downhill path Mr. Anastasiades has taken is his own choice. But it is also the choice of the leadership of the ruling DISY party to go along on this downhill path. However, we must not allow the country to be dragged down this downhill path.

This isn’t just about the Pandora Papers. Although it is no small thing for the European Parliament it to refer to the President of the country by name in a resolution and for the4 government ruling forces to be able to pretend that … it’s no big deal.

The Pandora Papers are the seemingly small issue problem. It was preceded by the allegations about privileged information being revealed to relatives and friends of Mr.Anastasiades, which permitted millions of Euros being moved from Cyprus to abroad in order to avoid the haircut on bank deposits. The revelation that lawyers from Mr. Anastasiades’ law firm participated in meetings at the Presidential Palace on the sale of Cyprus Airways, giving false names to avoid exposing the entanglement/interwoven interests. The free trips on the luxury private jets of tycoon “friends”. The avalanche of scandals with regards the passport selling industry.

The Laundromat Troika involving the law firm of Nicos Anastasiades in money laundering cases also preceded. Indeed, it should be noted that Mr. Anastasiades was a partner in the business at the time the transactions in question took place.

The humiliation will not end by burying one’s head in the sand. It will only end when the government at long last gives convincing and clear answers. It will end when those involved are held accountable. It will end when our country’s name is cleared. It will end when substantive reforms are made to close the loopholes of corruption and entanglement. It will end when we change mentality and behaviour. It will end when we convince, both inside and outside Cyprus, that we have put an end to the feast of greed, non-transparency and corruption.

No one has the right now to stand idly by and watch our country’s humiliation with all the consequences this has for the country.

Tolerance is complicity.