Cyprus: Lawyer, Politicians Face Trial In “Golden Passport” Scandal

A lawyer and some politicians accused of selling Cyprus passports to dubious investors are to stand trial next month, a court ruled on Monday.

Nicosia Criminal Court said the trial of former parliament speaker Demetris Syllouris, ex-MP Christakis Giovani, a senior manager of his real estate firm, Antonis Antoniou, and lawyer Andreas Pittadjis would open on October 26.

According to the official Cyprus News Agency, the charges against all four men include conspiracy to subvert the Republic, bribery, and corruption.

Parliament speaker Syllouris and opposition communist party AKEL MP Giovani were secretly filmed trying to facilitate a passport for a fugitive investor. Prominent lawyer Pittadjis also featured in the video and others linked to Giovani’s property development company.

Syllouris, who held the most senior political post after the President in Cyprus, and Giovani later resigned, although both insisted they were innocent of any wrongdoing, saying the videos had been illegally recorded.

Dozens of those who applied for the so-called “golden passports” were under criminal investigation, international sanctions, or serving prison sentences.