The discussion on the passports scheme will end only when our country’s name is cleared up
Statement by AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Stefanos Stefanou
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 7th September 2020, Nicosia
The debate on the “golden passport” business set up by the Anastasiades-DISY government won’t end because it is not convenient for the President and DISY. It will end only when the government’s practices that are shaming the country’s name end, when it clears up its name, when it convinces both inside and outside Cyprus that the feast of greed, non-transparency and abuse has come to an end.
One wonders – what will the government ruling forces say to the European Commission, which is considering taking legal proceedings against Cyprus? Will they say that they themselves have announced the end of the debate around the issue and will not reply to questions? Will they say that AKEL was behind the Commission’s position?
What will the government ruling forces say to the international organizations, the EU institutions and to the international media, but also to the citizens of Cyprus themselves? Will they say that they have nothing to say because having investigated the various cases they found nothing wrong with the “golden passports” scheme, as the Minister of Interior claims? Will they that that the number of naturalizations was mistakenly multiplied and the criteria were weakened? That the internationally-wanted Malaysian notorious swindler Joe Lo, the Cambodian representatives of a corrupt regime and the Saudi friend of the President of the Republic were accidentally issued a passport?
The Naturalization Program isn’t undermined by society’s demand for corruption to be combated. It is undermined by the greed and non-transparency provoked by the Anastasiades-DISY government with the burgeoning of the Passports Scheme and its abuse.
It isn’t the revelation, nor the discussion on corruption that is damaging the country and economy. It is corruption itself. It is corruption – which has increased during the current government – that is harming the economy and putting off serious investors to invest in Cyprus. It is corruption that is undermining institutions, democracy and equity. It is the corruption that has become synonymous with the Anastasiades-DISY government.
