Filenews 4 November 2025 - by Michalis Chatzivasilis
The Attorney General leaves open the possibility of developments for the €67 million. requested by the Commission from the Republic of Cyprus for the terminal in Vasiliko, while for the investigations it expressed readiness to involve the Legal Service if the resulting offenses are not within the reach of the European Public Prosecutor's Office.
Giorgos Savvidis, who was speaking to the Finance Committee of the Parliament presenting the budget of the Legal Service, for the investigations in Vassiliko on the criminal aspect, said that "from the moment the European Public Prosecutor was involved, we stop having the right to intervene. It uses the same Authorities that we would use (Police, MOKAS, Customs). The European Public Prosecutor's Office is examining all aspects of squandering European funds and if they find criminal offenses outside their scope, they will send them to us for handling." Mr. Savvidis stated that the role of the Service is limited, and clarified that it is not the lawyers of DEFA and ETYFA, but of the Ministry of Energy. According to him, everything happened in 2019 before he took over and the Legal Service has no say in the management of funds. The same is true, he added, on the issue of GSI. "Once we have been notified by the European authorities that the issues that arise are being handled by them, there is not much we can do."
As for the €67 million. that the Commission requested back for the terminal in Vasiliko, Mr. Savvidis stressed that there may be an issue of proportionality, perhaps the full amount should not be requested or not at all and noted that decisions will be made soon.
The Attorney General's reference to the issue of corruption in Cyprus was also extensive. We are particularly concerned about the issue of corruption, he said, which is why a sector has been created for public prosecutors headed by a Prosecutor to handle cases effectively. He cited references to the EU report on the Rule of Law and the measures taken and stressed that "there was and will be corruption in Cyprus as in all countries. I do not agree that we are the most corrupt country in the world, we should look into the problem and crack down on corruption." Mr. Savvidis did not leave the former Auditor General untouched, stating that "the excellent relations that exist with the current Auditor General will help to solve problems, while with the previous one it was impossible to solve the problems". At another point in his statement, he did not fail to point out the weaknesses presented by the investigative authorities regarding the investigation of financial cases, stating that "unfortunately, despite the fact that the Police has capable and reliable executives, we find problems in the field of financial crime investigation. Specialized people have been hired, trainers have come from America and these will help. It is unfair to claim that if you are a celebrity in Cyprus you have no consequences, this is not true," he clarified.
Citing data from the European Commission's 2024 Rule of Law Report in relation to the fight against corruption, the Attorney General stated that:
• There were five convictions of natural persons for corruption offences in four cases heard.
• 14 cases of corruption in the field of sports were initiated or tried. An investigation into a high-ranking official is also underway.
• The European Public Prosecutor's Office investigated a corruption case.
Also, in 2025, six new investigations were initiated, while there is a significant number of corruption cases, mainly at a low level, involving local administrations and authorities.
In relation to the Cyprus Investment Programme, 26 natural and legal persons are currently being prosecuted for corruption, while investigations into other cases are ongoing.
Control of Attorney General
There was also an extensive discussion in the Committee about the lack of control that the Attorney General has today for his decisions in relation to criminal prosecutions. As Mr. Savvidis mentioned, meetings were held with the Supreme Court about the extent that the unaudited can take, while an eight-year term of the Attorney General is proposed and at the same time there is a proposal for an audit process that will provoke discussion. "Perhaps a Commission would have been more flexible and managed some issues more confidentially." Shifting the burden of control from experienced officials to a group of judges, I think will be inappropriate and does not exist in any other country in the world. In ordinary law there are controls that may be carried out in certain matters. As a result of consultations with the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Justice has prepared a bill and the team of seven officials in the Legal Service that handles it will meet next Friday to study it and then with the comments of the Legal Service it will be sent to the Parliament," he said.
What is pending today concerns what documents the applicant will see before deciding whether to request an audit, the internal audit in the Legal Service will precede and then go to a judge, while there are reservations as to whether these cases will be made public. According to him, last year 1970 requests for suspension of criminal prosecution were submitted.
Unconstitutional reservations about the changes in the Legal Service
>The Attorney General clarifies that he will not represent the President if he deems the bills constitutional
Direct position of Giorgos Savvidis on the issue of the changes promoted in the Legal Service and the control of the decisions of the Attorney General. The Attorney General insisted on his strong reservations and objections to the changes, while stressing that if the President of the Republic insists that they are constitutional, in a possible report to the Court, he will not represent him.
Asked why he signed the explanatory memorandum accompanying the bills, while he disagrees, Mr. Savvidis said that initially the bills are prepared by the executive power which makes policy and is implemented through them. These come for legal technical review to the Legal Service and the Attorney General prepares an explanatory memorandum which is an explanation of the law. It is customary, he said, for this report to state that the legislation does not contravene the Constitution.
Mr. Savvidis went on to say that when the bills related to the changes in the Legal Service came, "I did what I thought was right. The bills do not concern me since I will leave with the current regime and I have every right to express my opinion. I called seven lawyers and asked them for their opinion. The four expressed unconstitutional reservations. I consider that the bills have a constitutional problem and I have serious concerns, which is why I wanted my opinion to be in writing."
The Attorney General further told the MPs: "Imagine if in the first appeal these changes are deemed unconstitutional. I signed them so as not to create an insurmountable constitutional issue," he noted.
Answering a question by AKEL MP Andreas Pasiourtidis about what he will do in case of passing the bills, Mr. Savvidis clarified that if the law is passed, it will have to be judged by the Court as it may affect the Constitution. "I will tell the President that the law is unconstitutional. I think that the President will not make a report. If he makes a reference to the Supreme Court and says that it is unconstitutional, I will be his lawyer. But if he considers them constitutional, then I will not be his lawyer and he will try with his own lawyer to argue that they are constitutional."
