Attorney General Giorgos Savvides announced on Wednesday that Cyprus authorities cannot conduct a parallel criminal investigation into the Vasilikos liquefied natural gas terminal project whilst the European Public Prosecutor’s Office conducts its own probe.
Savvides issued a statement responding to parliamentary calls for a new criminal investigation by the Law Office, citing EU Regulation 2017/1939, which prohibits national authorities from exercising jurisdiction over the same criminal conduct when the European prosecutor has initiated proceedings.
“No ex officio criminal investigation or intervention can be initiated by the competent national authorities of EU member states participating in the European Public Prosecutor’s Office when EPPO has initiated case investigation,” Savvides stated.
The Attorney General confirmed the European Public Prosecutor’s Office notified Cyprus on 28 March 2024 that it had launched a criminal investigation into potential offences by the contracting authority, contractor, or other parties involved in the LNG terminal’s award and execution procedures.
According to Article 25 of the EU regulation, “if the European Public Prosecutor’s Office decides to exercise its competence, the competent national authorities shall not exercise their own competence for the same criminal conduct.”
Savvides explained that national authorities may only proceed with separate investigations if the European prosecutor identifies criminal issues outside its jurisdiction and refers such matters to national authorities.
The statement addressed what Savvides termed “misinformation and inaccurate positions” regarding the Law Office’s role, following comments by parliamentary members on the gas terminal project.
Savvides noted that a Republic Prosecutor represented the Attorney General at Monday’s parliamentary Energy Committee session, describing this official as “the most competent legal officer” to address public contracts matters as head of the Public Contracts Sector.
The European investigation covers potential criminal offences in the study, construction and maintenance contract for Cyprus’s LNG terminal project at Vasilikos.
The Attorney General’s intervention follows mounting parliamentary pressure for additional investigations into the controversial terminal project, which has faced significant delays and cost overruns.
Cyprus participates in the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, which was established in 2017 to investigate and prosecute crimes affecting EU financial interests including fraud and corruption in public procurement.
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