The statements made yesterday by the President of the Republic constitute “evasion, they fail to answer the serious issues raised concerning the black donations scandal,” the Movement ‘Alithia-Citizens for Cyprus’ (Álma) stated in a press release. The Movement added that, “on the contrary, they attempt something far more dangerous: to retrospectively lend legitimacy to practices that fall outside the institutional framework and violate the law.”
Álma noted that the President “now publicly admits” that his brother-in-law and Office Director, Charalambos Charalambous, in collaboration with his friend and political ally Giorgos Lakkotrypis, had an active role in procedures related to the attraction and licensing of foreign investments.
“He attempts to present this involvement as a supposedly legitimate practice within the framework of ‘investment promotion’ and ‘corporate social responsibility’,” the announcement states. Álma adds that President Christodoulides is imitating his mentor Nicos Anastasiades to justify interweaving and corruption, by suggesting that “‘golden passports for attracting foreign investment’ have become ‘black donations for attracting foreign investment’.”
Allegations of Unconstitutional and Illegal Practices
In its full statement, the Movement detailed its key criticisms, arguing that the President is institutionalizing politically unacceptable practices and beautifying “illicit and potentially criminal practices.”
Álma reminded the President that the legislation is clear:
- Strategic Developments Law (2023): Applications are submitted exclusively to the Head of the Strategic Developments Sector. No role is provided for the President’s relatives or friends, and no ‘donation’ to the state is stipulated as part of the process.
- Foreign Investment Control Law (2025): The only “competent authority” is the Ministry of Finance. This law was enacted to ensure strict institutional control over foreign investments. Neither the Presidential Palace nor the President’s Office Director has any authority or role, formal or informal, in these procedures.
The Movement firmly rejected the President’s framing of the issue:
- The connection of investments or licensing with “contributions to the First Lady’s Fund or to other politically indicated purposes” does not constitute Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
- It constitutes an “extortionate practice” that violates administrative legality and directly affronts the rule of law.
- Álma recalled that large donors to the First Lady’s Fund, who have dealings with the state, remain anonymous following the President’s veto of a Parliamentary decision.
- The Movement stressed that genuine CSR is voluntary, independent, and entirely unconnected from state decisions, permits, or political favour. They argue that if a company is pushed to subsidise “social” activities to ensure government favour, “this constitutes bribery of the state.”
🎥 The Revealing Video Transcript
Álma reiterated the crucial excerpt from the controversial video, involving the President’s brother-in-law and Office Director:
“Decide exactly what you want to do. And then you can go to the President and offer it. I’m talking to you off the record now, George, off the record: you can come and say ‘okay, we want to do this work and we will also have this amount of money for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) purposes.’“
The Movement stated that this excerpt “illustrates the entanglement,” asserting that the President’s relative is encouraging the investor to “offer” something to the President “to do his work” and contribute money for “CSR purposes,” leaving the nature of the “work” and the “offer” open to suspicion.
🏛️ Demand for Accountability
Concluding its statement, Álma asserted that the President’s defence is not merely political audacity but an insult to the institutional order.
They reiterated their demands, which they claim are now even more urgent:
- Immediate launch of an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Authority and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.
- The resignation of the President’s brother-in-law from his position as Office Director.
- The resignation of his wife from her position as President of the Social Support Body.
The statement ended sharply: “With his statements yesterday, Nikos Christodoulides dropped the last fig leaf. We all see it now: The king is naked.”