attorney general

Absence of trust in justice

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Absence of trust in justice

A poll by Phileleftheros, conducted by Pulse Market Research, found that the Attorney General and the Deputy Attorney General do not satisfy citizens with their work, with only 29% of citizens responding positively about the Attorney General and 24% about the Deputy Attorney General. In contrast, 71% of citizens are satisfied with the work of the Auditor General. The poll also indicated that the negative stance towards the Attorney General is consistent across all party lines, with 51% of DISY voters, 66% of AKEL voters, and 61% of DIKO voters expressing a negative opinion. The President of the Republic has expressed intentions for institutional changes in the Audit Office, which has been met with immediate reaction from Odysseas Michaelides, the Auditor General. Additionally, the European Social Survey conducted by the University of Cyprus showed that the levels of trust in Justice are low, with an average of 4.39 out of 10.

House discusses reining in Attorney-general, ’s powers

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House discusses reining in Attorney-general, ’s powers

The House Institutions committee discussed the possibility of limiting the powers of the Attorney-general in Cyprus following the European Commission’s 2023 report on the rule of law. Attorney-general George Savvides has decided to promote an internal review process for his decisions, which will be conducted by a new team of legal officers. The discussion also addressed the need for the Audit service’s access to information and the prioritization of reviewing the Attorney-general’s role by the justice ministry. The committee highlighted the importance of digitizing the Cypriot justice system and reducing delays in adjudication. A proposed law for a constitutional amendment was mentioned, aiming to separate powers and address issues with the Attorney-general’s decision-making process.

Bar Association examining AG report over lawyer, ’s claims

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Bar Association examining AG report over lawyer, ’s claims

The Bar Association has not yet decided how to proceed with a complaint filed by Attorney General George Savvides against lawyer Efstathios Efstathiou. The decision was delayed due to the extensive volume of material that needs to be assessed. Savvides has requested the association to examine whether Efstathiou committed disciplinary offences. Efstathiou accused the Attorney General, his deputy, and the legal service of collaborating with Russian oligarch Oleg Boyko in an allegedly illegal 3.4 million deal involving the theft of shares from Ilya Alekseevitch Surkov. The Attorney General’s office denied any corruption claims, and Savvides stated he would recuse himself from the proceedings as he heads the disciplinary board.

Thanasis Nicolaou was subject to “merciless bullying,” investigator testifies

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Thanasis Nicolaou was subject to “merciless bullying,” investigator testifies

Independent criminal investigator Savvas Matsas testified in the third inquiry into the death of National Guardsman Thanasis Nicolaou, whose body was found under a bridge in Alassa in 2005, initially ruled as suicide. After exhumation in 2020, autopsies revealed he had been beaten and strangled. The court dismissed requests for testimonies from coroner Elpida Spanoudaki and Police Officer Melis Antoniou regarding allegations of physical assault on Thanasis in September 2005. Matsas, appointed by the Attorney General, reviewed extensive evidence and described Thanasis’ harsh living conditions at the military camp, including constant bullying, being forced to do menial tasks, and being subjected to humiliating acts. Thanasis had requested a transfer from the camp commander two days before his death, indicating his desire to leave and showing signs of distress.

Supreme Court case uncovers mobile phone use in prisons

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Supreme Court case uncovers mobile phone use in prisons

A judicial decision disclosed that crimes were allegedly being orchestrated from the Central Prisons via mobile phones. The Police, acting on a judicial search warrant based on “highly reliable” information, investigated a case where a convict, using a smartphone, ordered another individual outside the prison to commit a criminal act. This information led to a search warrant for the residence, assets, and vehicles of the suspected individual outside the prison. The Supreme Court issued a decision on February 20, regarding this matter. The Police are investigating offenses including conspiracy to commit a felony, threat of violence, and participation in a criminal organization. A citizen, through his lawyer, requested the Supreme Court to annul the search warrant and prohibit the use of any data obtained through it, arguing insufficient grounds for its issuance. Judge Lena Dimitriadou-Andreou found the issue debatable and granted permission to file an application to annul the search warrant, with the case scheduled for February 29, 2024.

Our View: The best way to protect AG, ’s office is to make it accountable.

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Our View: The best way to protect AG, ’s office is to make it accountable.

The text discusses the ongoing conflict between the auditor-general of Cyprus, Odysseas Michaelides, and the attorney-general’s office, led by Giorgos Savvides. The main facts presented in the text are:

1. Auditor-General Odysseas Michaelides has called for an end to the dual role of the attorney-general’s office as both advisor of the state and state prosecutor, a recommendation also made by the European Commission.
2. The European Commission’s Rule of Law report from July 2023 echoed concerns by the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (Greco) from 2016 about the risk of improper influence due to the integrated role of the prosecution service within the Law Office.
3. A draft law to reform the attorney-general’s office was submitted to the House in April but did not address the separation of the advisory and prosecutorial roles. Instead, it focused on salary alignment and the establishment of a prosecutorial council.
4. The Law Office has stated there are no plans to separate the two functions, as Greco did not expressly point out or imply the need for such a reform.
5. The Rule of Law report also highlighted concerns about the lack of review for decisions made by the attorney-general not to prosecute or to discontinue cases, a situation unique to Cyprus within the EU.
6. Akel deputy, Irene Charalambides, proposed an amendment to the constitution to limit the attorney-general’s power to decide against or suspend criminal prosecutions in the public interest.
7. The attorney-general recently halted a private criminal prosecution against a Russian oligarch, leading to public accusations of corruption, which the attorney-general denied without providing a full explanation.
8. The proposed constitutional amendment would require a two-thirds majority in the legislature to pass, which is considered unlikely due to lack of support from several parties.

Please note that the text contains opinions and rhetorical questions that are not factual information, such as speculations about the attorney-general’s motivations and the effectiveness of the legal service. These have been omitted from the summary.

Taxpayers will pay the cost of LNG debacle

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Taxpayers will pay the cost of LNG debacle

The contract for the liquified natural gas (LNG) terminal in Vasiliko was signed with the China Petroleum Pipeline Engineering Company (CPP) in December 2019. The project has encountered significant issues, leading to potentially high costs for the taxpayer. The tender process was controversial, with two of the three bidding consortiums excluded for compliance reasons before technical and financial assessments. The estimated cost of the project was half a billion euros, with €289 million allocated for construction and €210 million for operation and maintenance over 20 years. However, the cost has risen to €542 million, with CPP demanding an additional €200 million. The terminal is only 45 to 50 percent complete, and the completion date has been pushed back multiple times, with the latest being July 2024. The consortium led by CPP lacked experience in such projects. Despite irregularities in the tender evaluation, former President Nicos Anastasiades decided to proceed with CPP. The European Investment Bank (EIB) raised concerns about the financials and legitimacy of the deal. The project’s cost was considered high compared to market rates. The European Commission had offered a €101 million grant, conditional on the EIB approving a €150 million loan. An alternative, more cost-effective solution was proposed by Norwegian company Hoegh but was not pursued due to ineligibility for EU grants. The final cost of the LNG Vasiliko terminal remains uncertain.

Nine MPs sign the Peace Law proposal for an unverified Attorney General – None from AKEL

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Nine MPs sign the Peace Law proposal for an unverified Attorney General - None from AKEL

The proposed law aims to separate the two roles of the Attorney General, which is a pre-election commitment of President Christodoulidis. The purpose of the proposed law is to amend Article 113 of the Constitution in order to control the decisions of the Attorney General based on the Constitution. The proposal is supported by eight Members of Parliament. The need for this separation has been repeatedly emphasized by European institutions such as the European Commission, the Venice Commission, and the GRECO Group of States, among others.

US court will not revisit ruling limiting voting rights lawsuits

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Civil rights activists failed to persuade the full 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider a ruling that could limit lawsuits enforcing Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act’s protections against racial discrimination. The court maintained that only the government, not private plaintiffs, can pursue such cases. This decision, originating from a November 2-1 panel ruling, is the first of its kind from a federal appeals court and affects seven states within the 8th Circuit’s jurisdiction. The ruling was in response to a lawsuit challenging an Arkansas State House of Representatives redistricting plan, which was alleged to diminish the voting power of Black residents. The plaintiffs, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, are considering further legal actions, potentially appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2022, U.S. District Judge Lee Rudofsky ruled that only the U.S. attorney general can file lawsuits under Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits racially discriminatory voting rules. Three judges dissented from the decision not to rehear the case, with U.S. Circuit Judge Steven Colloton criticizing the November ruling as “flawed.”

AG denies corruption charges

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AG denies corruption charges

Attorney General George Savvides denied corruption charges after being accused by lawyer Efstathios Efstathiou of protecting Russian oligarch Oleg Boyko. Efstathiou claimed that 3.4 million worth of shares were stolen from his client, Ilya Alekseevitch Surkov, and illegally transferred to Boyko through Cyprus-registered companies. Boyko allegedly used false representations to transfer shares from Orlando Heights Ltd in Greencat Services Ltd to his company Finstroy Ltd, resulting in him holding 80% of the assets Orlando Heights had in Moscow’s Altufievo Mall. Criminal charges against Boyko were dropped due to insufficient witness material for prosecution in Cyprus. Efstathiou filed three complaints to the anti-corruption authority, which found no evidence of corruption. Boyko was subject to a Red Notice international arrest warrant but avoided questioning for four years until the warrant was scrapped. A private lawsuit filed by Efstathiou was also suspended by the AG. Surkov, who has a Greek passport and was wanted in Russia for alleged fraud, was granted political asylum in the UK. Boyko had been sanctioned by Canada and Australia but had the Canadian sanctions lifted following a lawsuit. The US Senate Intelligence Committee reported Boyko had ties to the Russian state and criminality.