Transport minister defends president amid corruption allegations

President Nikos Christodoulides acts with “honesty, transparency and absolute respect for the institutions,” Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades, said on Thursday, responding to a controversial video alleging illegal campaign financing.

“Every issue raised in public debate is treated with seriousness and full respect for the rule of law,” Vafeades said.

“However, the allegations made in the released film are not accompanied by documented evidence or financial data that would establish an illegal act.”

He added that “informing citizens is of course an obligation of the government, but it cannot replace the investigation by the attorney-general and the police.”

Vafeades emphasised that “the country’s international credibility is ensured when institutions operate smoothly and transparently, and not when claims that have not been previously evaluated are effortlessly and uncritically adopted.”

He also warned that “the overall evaluation requires checking its origin, authenticity and the full text in which it is included. The fragmentary presentation of conversations can lead to false impressions and cannot be the basis for safe conclusions.”

The minister stressed that corporate social responsibility initiatives “are examined in their own institutional framework and are not allowed to be identified with political funding or kickbacks, without specific and documented evidence.”

He concluded that Christodoulides “has proven with his attitude and actions that he operates with absolute respect for the institutions, which is why every claim must be evaluated based on evidence and not on impressions.”

Vafeades’ statement comes as attorney-general George Savvides confirmed that the investigation into the video is ongoing both in Cyprus and abroad, with an independent criminal investigator, Andreas Paschalides, appointed to assist.