Filenews 27 May 2025
A Memorandum of Understanding on the exchange of information on money laundering and terrorist financing was signed on Tuesday between the Financial Intelligence Unit (MOKAS) of the Republic of Cyprus and the Financial Intelligence Unit (F.I.U.) of Greece.
As stated in a statement issued by the Legal Service, the Memorandum was co-signed by the Senior Lawyer of the Republic and head of MOKAS, Maria Kyrmizi-Antoniou, and the President of the Anti-Money Laundering Authorit
y of the Hellenic Republic, Honorary Deputy Prosecutor of the Supreme Court, Charalambos Vourliotis.It is noted that "the initiative to sign this Memorandum is the beginning of new prospects for cooperation between the two Units, such as the preparation of joint strategic analyses on the risks of money laundering that threaten Cyprus and Greece, the exchange of best practices and expertise and the conduct of joint trainings between officers".
"The aim is to increase criminal prosecutions for money laundering offences and related offences, as well as to increase the seizures/confiscation of illicit proceeds," it adds. To this end, it is stated, "cross-border cooperation to achieve these objectives is crucial, as money laundering is an offence of a cross-border nature in most cases".
The Memorandum "seals the highly effective cooperation that MOKAS and FIU Greece have developed in the exchange of information, data and financial analysis," said the Attorney General of the Republic, George L. Savvidis during a meeting that he and the Assistant Attorney General, Savvas A. Angelidis, had earlier in the day with the FIU Greece delegation which is composed of the President of the Authority, Charalambos Vourliotis, the Head of FIU Greece, Efstathios Tsirbas, and the Head of International Cooperation of FIU Greece, Nikolaos Balaskas".
"A cooperation, as Mr. Savvidis pointed out, which led to the provision of significant assistance by FIU Greece to MOKAS requests in relation to very serious cases of corruption, fraud and money laundering that are being investigated and/or that have recently been brought before the Cypriot Justice," it added.
"In the context of the meeting, Mr. Savvidis and Mr. Vourliotis briefed each other on the role and responsibilities of the Services they head and stressed the importance of the role of Financial Intelligence Units in the prevention and response to transnational organized crime, as well as in the effective implementation of EU and UN sanctions," the statement concludes.
