Lawyer Achilleas Demetriades has expressed serious reservations about the independence of the investigative process into the Anti-Corruption Authority's "Mafia State" report, raising questions of possible conflict of interest in the appointments and asking who will take the case before the court.
Independent investigators not enough
Speaking on Politis radio 107.6 & 97.6 on the "Proini Epitheorisi" programme with Katerina Iliadi, he said the appointment of an independent investigative team is not sufficient unless an independent prosecutor or independent public prosecutor is also designated.
Conflict of interest concerns
Referring to the initial appointment of Mr Mylonopoulos, he noted that the possibility of a conflict of interest had been raised from the outset, without clear answers being given. He also questioned who provided legal advice to the Council of Ministers, given the recusal of the Attorney General.
Mr Demetriades expressed reservations about the replacement of the member who resigned, citing a previous professional relationship with a person linked to the "black van" case. He further asked why legal professionals from other countries, with no prior ties to Cyprus, were not sought.
The gap after the investigation
According to Mr Demetriades, the most significant gap concerns the stage after the investigation is completed. The investigators will gather the material, but someone must decide on the filing of charges and present the case in court.
He warned that if the final decision returns to the Prosecution Council, despite the declared conflict of interest, the purpose of the independent investigation is nullified.
"If the Prosecution Council is going to do the job after the independent investigators, we had better not do it at all and save our money," he said.
"A hole in the water"
Mr Demetriades described the appointment of independent persons as a positive first step, but argued that the process remains "lame" as long as it is unclear who the independent prosecutor will be.
"If it is the Prosecution Council, we have achieved nothing," he concluded.
