By Charlie Charalambous
CORRUPTION allegations involving leading politicians are giving Cyprus the reputation of a banana republic, President Clerides complained on his return from New York yesterday.
“What I have to say, and I say with emphasis, is that we appear like a banana republic,” Clerides told reporters at Larnaca airport, referring to media interest in the biggest corruption scandal to rock the island.
He seemed visibly annoyed by the latest allegations linking Diko leader Spyros Kyprianou with unlawful enrichment.
“We have lost all seriousness. Is there no way a politician can own two pieces of land, or even one, or even a house?” he asked.
“It is one thing to submit evidence and ask for it to be investigated, but it is another thing to continually discuss the matter before the investigations have been completed.”
Kyprianou also reacted angrily yesterday to allegations that his family acquired three plots of land in Engomi, Nicosia at around 40 per cent below the market value.
A lead article in Machi newspaper had alleged that land reportedly bought by Kyprianou’s two sons was acquired for £27,000 a plot when the Land Registry Office estimated its value at £45,000 each.
The paper implied that this evidence was dug up by House Watchdog Committee chairman Christos Pourgourides during his investigations against Interior Minister Dinos Michaelides, whom he accuses of corruption.
Although not naming names yesterday, Kyprianou said the article was part of a conspiracy to blacken his character and divert attention from the real culprits.
“It is an effort to slur my name or an effort to create a different picture to help those who are in a difficult situation: it is a cheap shot,” Kyprianou told reporters.
“I want to make it quite clear that I am in favour of complete transparency, and if anyone thinks they can influence me in taking part in a cover-up they can forget it.”
Kyprianou said he would make public his sources of wealth to prove his hands were clean.
Disy deputy Christos Pourgourides was in no doubt who planted the story in Machi and why: “Machi has stubbornly supported Dinos Michaelides throughout,” said Pourgourides, dispelling any suggestion that he planted the story himself.
“It is not in my character to leak stories to the press, and if I decided to do such a thing it definitely wouldn’t be to a paper which insults me day and night.”
As far as the deputy was concerned, involving Kyprianou’s name was a veiled threat warning him not to support any corruption probe against the government.
“This is part of a plan which I can only describe as a form of blackmail in order to apply pressure on Diko not to investigate corruption,” he said.
Pourgourides also made clear that none of his allegations was directed against or meant to implicate Kyprianou or any member of his family.
He said that if his attempt to clean up political life was not given widespread support then the public would continue to distrust politicians.
“The public has never trusted politicians, he said. “The word politician has become synonymous with liar.”
Apart from 14 allegations of bribery and corruption against Michaelides, Pourgourides has also raised the issue of dubious party funding.
In his wider anti-corruption campaign in public life the House Watchdog Committee chairman claims that one Disy member and a Diko official have both benefited from unlawful enrichment.
Disy’s party executive met yesterday to allow Pourgourides to brief it on his latest allegations concerning one of its own members.
