Matsakis’ immunity case on hold till September

THE ATTORNEY-general plans to file a request with the European Parliament to lift the immunity of DIKO MEP Marios Matsakis after the summer holidays.

In a written statement yesterday, Solon Nikitas explained that the request would be filed after August as August was a holiday month for the European Parliament and also because he must decide whether to base the request on a second allegation that Matsakis purchased stolen antiquities from the occupied north.

The Legal Services announced their intention to request the lifting of Matsakis’ immunity three weeks ago based on evidence regarding the alleged extortion of a police officer.

Since then, police have been investigating a further case involving the alleged purchase of stolen antiquities worth hundreds of thousands of pounds belonging to Greek Cypriot refugees.

As a result, the Attorney-general will wait for the police to complete their investigations into the stolen antiquities before deciding whether to include the charge in the request to lift Matsakis’ immunity.

Matsakis found himself in hot water early last month after Politis published a leaked confidential police report detailing his exchanges with a police officer implicated in an attempted manslaughter case.

According to the report, Matsakis had sought £10,000 to help acquit the drug squad officer who allegedly shot a drugs suspect while he was trying to escape arrest.

Matsakis at the time had been hired as an expert witness by the shooting victim who was suing the state.

During the investigation, the officer in question had numerous contacts with Matsakis, several of which were held at the MEP’s home. In his testimony the officer spoke of dozens of old chests he saw at the house.

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