The presidential press office has categorically rejected corruption allegations against President Nikos Christodoulides, with the Director of the Press Office of the President, Victoras Papadopoulos, saying he would stake his reputation on the president “having clean hands”.
Papadopoulos told Alpha Enimerosi that when Christodoulides leaves office, no one will have anything to say about corruption matters. He gave an example claiming the president thinks twice about dining at a restaurant, and whether that could be misunderstood by anyone.
The aide confirmed the case involved potential investors who claimed they wanted to invest €150 million in the energy sector. He described a fast-track process through a centre under the Interior Ministry that handles investment cases of this scale.
Papadopoulos noted the president never hid that he toured Western countries to attract investment and boost development.
On the relationship between Christodoulides and Cyfield CEO Giorgos Chrysochos, Papadopoulos denied suggestions in the video of a close relationship away from the public eye.
He claimed their last contact was on the president’s election day, when Chrysochos sent a congratulatory message that wasn’t answered.
The aide defended the Independent Social Support Body fund as transparent, saying it operates with established procedures, has ministry directors-general on its board, and provides all data except some amounts that would only satisfy gossip.
When comparisons were drawn with the Al Jazeera golden passports investigation, Papadopoulos said any comparison should examine what happened when unedited material was submitted in that case.
Papadopoulos said AKEL and opposition critics had found an agenda, adding the government won’t take lessons from parties caught red-handed passing bribes through their accounts.
The AKEL General Secretary, who appeared on the same programme immediately afterwards, responded that they don’t want to give lessons to anyone, especially Papadopoulos, who he said serves various presidents depending on what each one can pay.
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