Prosecution demands convictions
Final arguments began Monday before Nicosia Permanent Assize Court in the criminal case stemming from Al Jazeera reporting and exceptional naturalizations of foreign investors, based on the Nikolaou Committee report. Prosecution and Dimitris Syllouris’s defense completed arguments, while Christakis Tziovanis’s defense, via Giorgos Papaioannou, continues Tuesday.
Prosecutor Harris Karaliotou attributed serious corruption offenses to defendants under the Penal Code and Council of Europe Convention, citing coordinated action in two investor cases: Nikolai Gorlofski and Zaineh Ali Hilmi Armous.
Special emphasis fell on Gorlofski, establishing conspiracy to defraud the Republic.
Exploiting positions for gain
Karaliotou stated corruption “strikes at the core of public authority’s integrity, impartiality, and credibility,” often committed secretly without direct witnesses. Proof relies on cumulative incidents forming a “coherent, unbroken evidential chain” under common sense and human experience.
She argued then-House President Syllouris and MP/businessman Tziovanis “exploited their positions for undue advantage,” securing Cypriot passports via the Investment Program for investors.
Tziovanis, as real estate seller, “defrauded the Republic” by pursuing naturalization for a non-qualifying investor, gaining over €2 million in property sales, “enlisting” Syllouris.
In Armous case, the same mechanism allegedly secured a passport for the investor’s daughter exceeding age limits via intermediary.
Undisputed facts and interventions
Karaliotou cited undisputed facts: defendants’ long friendship, Syllouris’s €200,000+ financial ties to Tziovanis Group, his daughter’s €70,000 employment there, 2018 Reservation Agreement, €2.3 million client account transfer pre-Gorlofski naturalization (June 5, 2019), gradual payouts to Tziovanis firms post-approval.
Emphasis on Syllouris’s phone interventions to then-Interior Ministry Director General and officials, plus fax from House President’s office requesting case review.
His presence at investor events “cannot be socially neutral,” confirming top-level access.
Concluding, Karaliotou urged conviction as the sole outcome.
Defense rejects “novel” narrative
Syllouris’s lawyer Chris Triantafyllides called prosecution’s “highly skilled but theoretical” summation a “novel-style presentation” lacking testimonial connection. He contested many “undisputed facts” as undocumented, alleging procedural abuse.
If officials’ social event attendance equals corruption evidence, “we enter a dangerous era for human relations.” Syllouris never sought approvals, only status updates. Prosecution shifts burden from “beyond reasonable doubt” to “high probability.”
“Legislation and conventions nowhere say criminal cases abandon beyond reasonable doubt. Prosecution introduces dangerously slippery paths for justice.”
Syllouris “declares with all soul’s strength innocent,” urging acquittal.
Key witnesses absent
Christakis Tziovanis’s lawyer, Giorgos Papaioannou, stated “not a trace of testimony” justifies conviction prospects. He rejected claims Tziovanis “enlisted” Syllouris, noting no evidence of collusion on the cases in question.
Papaioannou argued the proceedings lack essential figures: investor Gorlofski, provider Andreas Pittatzis, and Finance Ministry.
He described a case where “the driver vanished and the back-seat passenger is on trial,” insisting Pittatzis held the lead role in contract drafting and payment management.
Tziovanis defense concludes tomorrow at 09:30; court reserves decision.
Also read: Cyprus denounces Turkish aerial and naval violations to UN
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