Police investigations into the largest case of naturalization of foreign investors and businessmen as Cypriot nationals will be completed within the next few days.

The investigations of the team of investigators of the ICF Police Headquarters are in the final stage and according to information provided by "F", an internal meeting was held the day before yesterday during which all the details were examined and the last actions to be taken were decided.

As we have been told, it is not excluded that within the first 15 days of September, the voluminous file will be forwarded to the Legal Service. According to our information, the case concerns 21 naturalizations made by the same provider and evidence seems to emerge showing that either the affected foreign nationals who got golden passports were not entitled, or the investment was not made, or if it was done it was on paper.

All findings of the investigation team will be evaluated by lawyers from the Attorney General's Office to match them with evidence and testimonies before final decisions are made. The investigations lasted more than two years and data have been collected and archived in 100 box files, which shows the scope of the investigations and the procedures followed. It is noted that the case of this provider is extensively mentioned in the conclusion of the Committee under Myron Nikolatos.

According to our information, the investigations lasted a long time for two main reasons: First, because there are many cases involving people abroad, and secondly, because every decree issued by the police was challenged in court. Thus, there was a long delay until things were clarified and whether the documents received from the company's offices, such as electronic data, were legal.

It is also noted that in one case it appeared that the investor who would receive Cypriot citizenship came to Cyprus and signed relevant documents, while the investigations did not find this.

All the elements of this serious case are evaluated from time to time by the Legal Service and its heads in meetings and guidance given on the next steps.
The Police, according to our relevant information, in its report that will be submitted along with the witness material, will suggest that there is evidence that justifies criminal prosecution against both legal and natural persons. However, the Attorney General has the final say, after evaluating all the witness material, always based on the criterion that any case sent to court can be successful.

In the meantime, another case concerning the naturalization program of foreign investors and businessmen is in the final stage and it is expected that this will also take the case for the Legal Service. With this development, the investigation team specially set up to investigate the more than 100 cases mentioned in the Kalogirou-Nikolatou findings, will now deal with the remaining ones.

To date, only five cases over golden passports have been sent to court, while in the first one that was tried, the defendants were acquitted.