Phedon Phedonos has accused unnamed interests of mounting an orchestrated attack against him, insisting he has committed none of the offences attributed to him. The suspended Mayor of Paphos claims the aim is to distract the country from the controversial “videogate” footage linked to the Presidential Palace.
In a public statement, Phedonos said more than two weeks have passed since what he described as a coordinated assault on him, adding that his family’s peace of mind has suffered as a result.
“I assure you, first of all, that I have not committed any of the offences being deliberately announced to harm me,” he said. He added that police have not questioned him about anything.
Phedonos argued that powerful interests have grown emboldened and united to destroy him. He claimed those orchestrating attacks are connected to his complaints about drugs, money laundering and other alleged illegal activities.
He also said the case serves to divert attention from what he called the “embarrassment” of Videogate and from funding related to the President’s 2023 and 2028 election campaigns, as well as alleged involvement of the First Lady’s Support Fund. According to Phedonos, the most important element of the videogate affair is that a mechanism had been set up in which businesspeople, under the guise of philanthropy, paid money while expecting favours in return.
“I am here. I have always been here,” he said, calling for everything to be investigated and for charges to be brought with real evidence so that justice can be served. Otherwise, he argued, the goal is to keep him in prolonged political limbo through investigations and possible lengthy court proceedings. He added that if the aim is a public trial against him, he is ready to respond publicly and in detail to any accusation.
Phedonos said he is not seeking favourable treatment but is asking honest state officials to act objectively and without ulterior motives. He described what is happening as organised and methodical wrongdoing against him and against society.
He warned that Cyprus is turning into a fully corrupt country with a dismantled state that promotes corruption and protects powerful interests. He urged people not to allow the country to become like Turkey, using what he described as “Erdogan-style” methods to eliminate opponents.
“If they succeed, they will not stop with me. They will continue with others. But if we manage to rid our country of these networks, that will be a victory for the people,” he said.