The rot starts from the top
Statement by AKEL C.C. Spokesperson Stefanos Stefanou
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 11th November 2019, Nicosia
At the same time as governing DISY was misleading the people that we must “wait to see the results of the inquiry” surrounding the passports granted under the government’s citizenship-via-investment scheme, the Government Spokesman Prodromos Prodromus today admitted – in his statements to the “Third Program” of the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation – that this committee of inquiry was NOT going to probe the passports granted to date – neither for the Cambodians, nor for the Malaysian business man, nor the involvement of the Archbishop, nor anyone else. Its purpose will be to exercise control over future naturalizations. The government’s announcement of an inquiry committee that will not conduct an investigation ranks among another of the world firsts of this government.
Any probe over the points and monstrosities that were committed will be carried out by the Ministry of Interior itself. That is to say, those very agencies who must be investigated will conduct an investigation of themselves: the Government, it’s Ministers and Ministries, the Unit for Combating Money Laundering (MOKAS), the Archbishop and others too emerge beforehand as “innocent” for what has shaken our country to its roots.
The government ruling forces not only do not feel that they have humiliated our country around the world. Not only do they not take on their political responsibilities. Now we are even being told that the naturalization scandals that shock Cypriot society will not even be investigated.
No one should wonder why the World Bank documented just the day before yesterday that our country has recorded the highest increase in corruption across the whole of Europe since the day the government of Nicos Anastasiades took office. Things are simple. The rot starts from the top.
