Police begin investigation into video, await Lakkotrypis statement

The police have launched an investigation into a video which alleged campaign finance lawbreaking on the part of President Nikos Christodoulides and his associates which was widely shared on social media, its spokesman Vyron Vyronos said on Friday.

“We had a complaint yesterday and we started some examinations, for which at this stage, I cannot say what our services are doing,” he told the Cyprus News Agency, before adding that the police expect former minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis, who was implicated in the video, to make a statement.

He added that the police expect Lakkotrypis to “gather evidence which he will use in his testimony” so that he can at a later stage be called to give an official testimony.

However, he said, the police cannot yet disclose the scope of their investigation.

“Exactly what we are investigating and what offences we are not yet able to say. We will see in the process with the receipt of the official statement. We are in the initial stage,” he said.

Asked whether the police believe the video may have been edited or doctored, he said that “I cannot make any statement on this issue because we are still at a very early stage”.

“The offences which will arise from the investigation will be investigated. At this stage, identification is being done to see what offences, what complaints exist, and what can be extracted from the video,” he said.

The video first appeared on social media platform X on Thursday, having been shared by an account using the handle “EmilyTanalyst” and the name “Emily Thompson”.

At the time the video was shared, the account had fewer than 350 followers, but this number has grown to more than 950 overnight, while the video has amassed more than 250,000 views.

It features close associates of Christodoulides, his chief of staff Charalambos Charalambous and former minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis, appearing to explain how they used and intended to continue to use cash donations to circumvent election campaign finance laws.

Both men also appeared to say that donations to Christodoulides by oligarchs under threat of appearing on international sanctions list would lead to him defending and assisting them to avoid sanctions from the European Union.

Construction company Cyfield’s chief executive officer Giorgos Chrysochos, meanwhile, appeared to say that he pays €250,000 per year for his access to the government.

The social media account was registered in 2022 and according to information available on the platform is based in the United Kingdom.

The government has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.