Cyprus police have begun gathering information about a BBC report alleging that billions in assets belonging to Roman Abramovich were concealed and transferred through Cypriot companies and professional advisers. A police officer told parliament’s Institutions Committee that no decision had been taken on whether to open a formal investigation and gather investigative material.
Andreas Anastasiades, an officer at police headquarters, said that after the BBC report was published on October 12, police “began gathering information on their own initiative so it could be assessed”.
It emerged during the discussion that no other supervisory authority or competent body has dealt with the case.
Asked by parliament member Christos Christofides whether the Law Office of the Republic had asked police to look into the matter, Anastasiades said police had acted without the involvement of any other institution. The Law Office was not represented at the session, despite being invited.
Andreas Zachariades addressed the committee as both director general of the Finance Ministry and chairman of the Cyprus Public Audit Oversight Board. He said the ministry had contacted the company involved after the report was published, and the company had set out its position.
He pointed to difficulties in any investigation, however, as the events covered in the report relate to the period from 2003 to 2006. Speaking as head of the audit oversight board, Zachariades said it was set up in 2017 and, according to a legal opinion, cannot examine cases that predate its founding.
Several of those invited to the session said the events presented in the report allegedly took place at a time when very different practices were followed, practices that now belong to the past.
