AG says careful handling needed for passports issue, not grandstanding
Attorney-general Giorgos Savvides on Monday said careful handling was needed over investigations into dodgy procedures for granting Cypriot passports to investors, and not moves to impress public opinion.
He also called on Auditor-general Odysseas Michaelides to respect him as much as he says he respects institutions and procedures and stop trying to hinder the legal office’s work.
He said Michaelides tried to diminish the attorney-general with his statements on Saturday and expressed prejudice against him.
Savvides on Monday gave reassurances that neither he nor his deputy would allow the covering up of any case.
He said all naturalisations would be investigated, thus a parallel probe by anyone else or providing access to relevant information, could potentially hinder the work of the four-member investigating committee he appointed last month to scrutinise all citizenships granted to foreign investors between 2007 when the scheme was launched and August 17, 2020 which is the date the new legal framework on Cyprus’ citizenship by investment programme was put in effect.
Savvides also said the audit office could carry out its own probe at a different time.
The two institutions have been at odds with the way the issue should be handled.
The audit office said earlier on Monday morning it considers it a constitutional obligation to exercise its powers and responsibilities and that it expected “other independent institutions and state officials to respect the fact that it is independent and under the tutelage of no one.”
On Saturday, the audit office slammed the government for refusing to hand over a July 2019 cabinet decision granting citizenship to 18 people connected to the casino investment essentially “for the sake of it, outside the legal framework and in a hurry”.
The audit office said its powers to check government finances were derived from the constitution and superseded those of the investigating committee.
Savvides hit back in a brief written statement telling the audit office to drop its own pursuit of the probe.
“I call the auditor-general and the audit office to note that the attorney-general is the guardian of the constitution and the laws,” he said.
“Actions and statements that undermine the opinions and decisions of the attorney-general constitute a diversion.”
The handling of the citizenship probe is the responsibility of the AG, he had said.
Hitting back, the audit office said it was an independent institution and was not “under the guardianship of anyone else”. It was only trying to defend its independence as others try to obstruct it, a statement said.
It added that it expected the support of the attorney-general when their service is being attacked. We believe it is our constitutional duty, and not simply a right, to exercise our designated powers and authorities.”
In the meantime, head of ruling Disy’s legal council Christos Triantafylides on Monday called on the two sides to take it to the Supreme Court.
Triantafyllides said in a written statement that if the attorney-general and the auditor-general disagree on their powers, rights and obligations, then the sole authority to resolve this issue of ambiguity as regards what the Constitution provides is the Supreme Court.
Citing Article 149 (b) of the Constitution, he said this is the path that must be followed, and promptly, if the issue cannot be resolved by direct consultation between these two independent institutions. “Further public expressions of opposing views either by themselves or by various political spaces only cause damage to the proper functioning of the state and the polity.”