Anastasiades faces money laundering reports

The government branded on Saturday media reports linking President Nicos Anastasiades and his law firm to the so-called Troika laundromat as libellous and devoid of reality.

A report by the Organised Crime and Corruption Project (OCCRP) released on Wednesday linked the president and his law firm with the Troika Laundromat, a network of shell companies that operated from 2006 to 2013 moving at least $4.6 billion and enabling its users to hide assets, evade taxes or launder money.

In a statement on Friday, main opposition Akel said it was concerned by the reports which linked Cyprus with money laundering and implicating the president and his law firm in suspicious dealings.

“The Republic of Cyprus is being derided since it is implicated in suspicious money dealings, as well as Mr Anastasiades himself,” the party said.

COMMENT

I really don’t know why he is surprised, his administration has presided over some horrendous corruption scandals, he lied to the people before the haircut in 2013, promising that it would not happen, then he had the audacity to imply that his hand was forced by the EU, when it has transpired since that he instigated it, not before ensuring that his family and friends had moved their money to safety. More than SIX YEARS later, we have still been kept in the dark about the 5% commission that the Deutsche Bank offered to dump the toxic bonds that the Cyprus Popular Bank and the Bank of Cyprus bought……….who received that money?

Then he personally pardoned sex offenders, a hit and run driver (Efi Herodotou) who fled the scene, leaving an innocent man to die, then she fled the country for years, on her return when she was jailed, he pardoned her the following year. I’m sure it is no coincidence that her father is an army officer and one of the inner-circle of ‘friends’ who are above the law in Cyprus.

Then there was the disgrace of the coop bank, which is being revealed to have operated not only with gross negligence, but actions bordering on ‘Loan Sharking’ with some of their overcharges being calculated to be in excess of 40% of many outstanding balances! This has left many people hunted by asset management like Altamira, just as the court fee structure has been changed to make it even more expensive for them to defend themselves, absolutely shameful!

There is no transparency in government accounting, no moral compass in domestic policy, Cypriots finding themselves unable to afford a home because under the supervision of this administration, Cyprus is being sold off to overseas investors in exchange for ‘golden Visas’ creating a fake bubble with NO REGARD to the indigenous population that has a right to a home, but all too often cannot afford one.

You sir, have a lot to answer for, the public have a right to place their faith in a fair and trustworthy administration, is that really the case?