A public official under investigation for the known Trimiklini fish farm case is fighting back against the allegations. Loizos Loizides, who served as Director of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, signed two permits for the establishment and operation of the fish farm on 13 October 2011 and 7 February 2013, respectively.
In its 19 December announcement on the case, the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority stated that possible criminal liability might arise for Mr. Loizides.
Loizides categorically rejects this conclusion and has filed a protest through his lawyer, Alexandra Lycourgos. Lycourgos sent a letter to the Authority two days ago on behalf of her client, demanding the immediate revision of its public announcement to restore Loizides’ personal and professional honour and reputation.
Allegations of constitutional breach
The Authority’s appointed inspection officer had concluded in his report that potential criminal liability against Loizides stemmed from his signature on the two establishment and operating permits.
The report noted that “criminal liability may arise for the offence of Abuse of Power, pursuant to Article 105, of the Criminal Code, Cap. 154, and Conspiracy to Commit a Misdemeanour, pursuant to Article 372, of the same Code.”
Loizides’ legal letter states that the Anti-Corruption Authority “selectively publishes accusations against him without documentation and cumulatively violates his constitutional and legislated fundamental rights as well as the institutional order.”
The letter outlines six key points to support this position:
- The Authority is accused of breaching information confidentiality and presenting Loizides as guilty.
- It allegedly attributes criminal liability, referring to a “permissible fact” that Loizides does not accept.
- The Authority is accused of treating the seven public officials, to whom it attributes disciplinary responsibility, differently and favourably by not naming them and awaiting the decision of the competent disciplinary body.
- It is accused of treating the Director’s successor, who renewed the permit in 2022, favourably.
- The Authority allegedly failed to specify the legislative provisions that Loizides supposedly violated, even while stating he “knowingly, willingly, and deliberately bypassed all legislation and regulations” to grant the 2013 permit.
- The Authority is accused of publicising Loizides’ sensitive personal data and attributing criminal responsibilities without this being necessary for the public interest or being proportional, noting that transparency was achieved anonymously for the seven other officials facing disciplinary action.
The letter further asserts that the Authority has breached four fundamental and constitutionally enshrined principles.
Additionally, reservations are expressed regarding the powers of the Commissioner for Transparency and Head of the Authority, Haris Pogiatzis. The letter notes that he “simultaneously chairs the Authority and decides unilaterally to lift the confidentiality of the information the Authority collects… which disturbs the institutional balance and is contrary to the principles of good governance and proportionality.”
Phileleftheros attempted to obtain a counter-response from the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority regarding Loizides’ claims, but the body is expected to express its official position through an announcement soon.