By Charlie Charalambous
ATTORNEY-GENERAL Alecos Markides yesterday expressed his indignation at Christos Pourgourides for snubbing an independent investigation into the corruption allegations he has made against Interior Minister Dinos Michaelides.
“I am angry about these developments, because in reality it’s the first time an Attorney-general has advised the appointment of two criminal investigators against a serving minister,” Markides told CyBC radio from Paris yesterday.
“Instead of those who made the allegations, showing gratitude and agreeing to co-operate, they do the opposite.”
Markides’ frustration followed Pourgourides’ public refusal on Monday to assist cabinet-appointed independent prosecutors – George Stavrianakis and Andreas Shiakas – in their probe of the unlawful enrichment claims levelled at Interior Minister Dinos Michaelides.
The Disy deputy described the investigation as a “mockery” and said its objectivity was tarnished by the fact that President Clerides had refused to accept Michaelides’ resignation last week.
Support for his view came from an unlikely source, his Disy colleague, Katie Clerides.
She said her father, President Clerides, should have accepted the minister’s resignation.
“Whether the minister should stay or go is not a legal issue, it’s a political one… the president had no legal obligation to accept the resignation,” the Attorney-general said yesterday.
He said the wrongs and rights of the president’s decision were for the Cypriot public to judge, but should not be confused with the investigation.
“Nobody who makes an accusation which has been thoroughly investigated by the Auditor-general and the Attorney-general can then come and say ‘I won’t give evidence because the whole procedure is a mockery’.”
Markides suggested that even if Michaelides had resigned there was no security against Pourgourides shifting the goalposts.
“Say if Michaelides did resign, there is no guarantee that another row would start and someone could come and say ‘I don’t like Mr Stavrianakis, I won’t testify’.”
The Attorney-general argued that Pourgourides wanted the “truth to shine on his own terms”.
Pourgourides’ criticism of Markides for dismissing 11 of his allegations and only concentrating on two for special investigation also seemed to touch a sore point with the Attorney-general.
“I made a complete study, I have taken full responsibility for my ruling with my signature on it.”
There could be no criminal investigation into allegations that concerned the inherited property of the minister’s wife, said Markides.
“What would there be to investigate?”
Following the furore over his comments on Monday, Pourgourides agreed to refrain from further statement after a reportedly tense meeting of his Disy party that same evening.
The House Watchdog Committee chairman will also put forward a motion today that the committee suspend its probe into Michaelides while the investigation is going on.
