Filenews 18 May 2023
Five law firms have been referred to the police to investigate whether they violated European sanctions, while an internal investigation involving a total of 36 law firms is ongoing.
As the president of the Cyprus Bar Association, Christos Clerides, told "F", from the actions of the Association so far, there was reasonable suspicion from witness material that four law firms may have violated European sanctions and so the Cyprus Bar Association has sent this information to the Police. where it will proceed with the investigation of allegations of criminal offences. Also, a letter is being sent today to the Police concerning another law firm to investigate the same possibility.
At the same time, as Mr. Clerides explained, last year when sanctions were imposed on Russians by the EU and the UN, a circular was sent to all members of the Cyprus Bar Association to state whether they serve Russians who were on the sanctions list. The circular was initially answered by 35 law firms when they had such clients and later by another one, a total of 36. Subsequently, Clerides added, a second questionnaire was sent on whether they serve their customers while the sanctions are in force.
The deadline for them to respond expired yesterday and now a three-member panel of experts will take over to study the answers sent and can carry out on-the-spot investigations accordingly. The 36 law firms include Christodoulos G. Vassiliadis & Co LLC. As Mr. Clerides explained, the investigation in these 36 law firms is not because they are all included in the sanctions, but because previously they had clients entities on which sanctions were imposed. The investigation of the above offices is expected to be completed in about a month.
It is noted that in Cyprus instructions can be given for the investigation of criminal offenses for violation of sanctions only if they come from the EU or UN. Something that cannot be done with sanctions coming from the US or Britain.
