This morning marked the commencement of hearings by the Independent Authority Against Corruption, examining allegations raised in Makarios Drousiotis’ book “Mafia State.”
Journalist and researcher Makarios Drousiotis, accompanied by his lawyer Leto Karyolou, attended the Authority’s offices for a session that extended over four hours starting at 10 am.
The inquiry was led by Gabrielle Louise McIntyre, an Australian expert.
Drousiotis worked as an aide to President Anastasiades between 2013-2014. Since leaving the Presidential Palace, Drousiotis has written three books accusing the country’s political elite of widespread corruption, based on his experiences collaborating with Anastasiades.
Philenews reports that the focus of the initial hearing was on a chapter from Drousiotis’ work that delves into the 2013 financial crisis.
Drousiotis is said to have provided a plethora of documents to back the assertions made in his publication. The session saw several probing questions from the inspection team, including McIntyre and legal experts Charilaos Chrysanthou, Orestis Nikitas, and Andreas Efthymiou.
Drousiotis is scheduled to continue his testimony next Thursday.
The issue is one of five sub-topics under the investigation’s scope. The investigative team, aiming for thoroughness, has segmented the concerns raised in the book into distinct areas for detailed examination.
Central to the investigation is former President Nikos Anastasiades, with the book levelling serious accusations against him.
“Mafia State” notably references Russian oligarch Dimitri Rybolovlev and the aftermath of his divorce in Cyprus, implicating a major law firm’s role and its ties to Anastasiades, unusual legislative processes, judicial decisions favouring Rybolovlev, and capital movements. Anastasiades has firmly denied all allegations in public statements.
Additionally, the probe is looking into issues related to police surveillance. The investigators, upon reviewing Drousiotis’ book, identified potential misconduct concerning the Cyprus Police. Drousiotis’ personal accounts suggest he was subjected to surveillance via software that had infected his personal electronic devices.
He recounted the police’s lukewarm response when he brought his suspicions and evidence to their attention, suggesting a reluctance to pursue his claims.
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