Papadakis denies allegations, withdraws from parliamentary race

Former MEP Demetris Papadakis rejected on Wednesday what he termed as “fabricated allegations” made by journalist Makarios Drousiotis, describing them as false, politically motivated and based on fabricated evidence.

He was speaking at a press conference following the findings of a forensic expert he had himself appointed. He also confirmed he would not contest the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Papadakis said that throughout his political career he had acted with “clarity and honesty”, aiming to contribute to a fairer society. He added that his intervention came at a time when public trust in institutions was low and misinformation was widespread.

The allegations relate to claims published by Drousiotis on social media, including purported exchanges of messages between Papadakis and a former supreme court judge. Papadakis said he did not know the individual and had never communicated with him.

He described the timing of the accusations as “suspicious” and said they served specific interests. According to Papadakis, the material was published without any prior investigation or verification.

Despite initially considering ignoring the claims, he said he chose to respond publicly to protect his personal integrity, calling from the outset for a full investigation into the matter.

Papadakis outlined a series of actions he took immediately after the allegations surfaced on March 30, when Drousiotis made his first post referring to him. He said he responded by clearly denying any knowledge of the person mentioned and called on Drousiotis to retract the claims.

The following day, he issued a written statement expressing his readiness to submit his mobile devices for forensic examination by an expert chosen by Drousiotis, to verify that no such communications had taken place.

He also instructed his lawyers to initiate legal proceedings unless the claims were withdrawn within 24 hours.

At the same time, he filed a formal complaint with the police chief, alleging the offences of publishing false news and circulating forged documents. He called on authorities to obtain all relevant material in order to verify its authenticity.

On March 31, Papadakis said he independently appointed a forensic expert to conduct an immediate examination of all mobile devices he had used between 2019 and 2026. He maintains that the terms of reference ensured the expert’s independence and full access to all electronic data, without interference. The expert was instructed to compile a report on the alleged communications and submit it directly to the police, together with the devices.

Papadakis added that on April 3 he attended the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to give a statement in relation to his complaint and informed authorities of the appointment of the expert.

His complaint, he said, concerned two main issues: the publication of fake news regarding alleged message exchanges between himself and an individual, the former judge Michalis Christodoulou, and the alleged preparation and circulation of forged documents relating to those messages.

According to Papadakis, the forensic report was submitted to police on Monday and concluded that no evidence was found indicating that any such communications had taken place.

He maintained that the findings of the report were “clear” and that the report confirmed that the messages published by Drousiotis were “fabricated”. He called for a broader investigation into who created the alleged material and how it came into Drousiotis’ possession.

Papadakis also criticised what he described as a wider environment in which reputations are damaged while misinformation is amplified, arguing that powerful interests continue to operate with impunity.

Turning to his political trajectory, Papadakis said he had intended to run in the parliamentary elections as a collaborating candidate with the political movement Alma, believing this could lead to meaningful change.

He said he had been in communication with Alma from the outset of the allegations and had informed the party of all steps he was taking. However, he noted that the movement adopted a distancing stance, which was reflected in its public statements.

During a meeting of Alma’s secretariat on April 6, Papadakis said he briefed members and indicated that the forensic report would be available the following day and would confirm that the allegations were false.

Despite this, he said Alma decided to withdraw his candidacy before the report was issued and without taking into account what he described as admissions by those involved in the case.

Papadakis described the outcome as a “political divorce”, attributing it to a lack of trust and support. He confirmed that he will not be a candidate in the upcoming elections, stressing that this decision was not due to any wrongdoing on his part but because “shadows” had been cast over his name.

He further stated that he believes he had been the victim of a coordinated plot with potentially broader implications.

Concluding, Papadakis said his values, principles and integrity were “not negotiable” and that he would continue to fight for the truth to emerge, as well as for greater transparency and a more just society.

Journalist and Volt candidate Makarios Drousiotis presented evidence to the police on Friday regarding allegations of a corruption ring involving politicians, judicial and financial figures.

He informed authorities he possesses material from legal circles, including information related to a witness referred to as Sandy, concerning former judge Michalakis Christodoulou, former MEP Demetris Papadakis, and vice president of Edek Morfakis Solomonidis.