The government faces political turmoil after admitting it concealed a March notification from the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) regarding an ongoing investigation into the 2019 Vasilikos natural gas import terminal tender.
The government’s failure to inform parliament, authorities, or the public has raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability.
Questions have also arisen about whether Cypriot police conducted their investigation following the EPPO’s notification.
Phileleftheros sources suggest no substantial investigation has commenced. The government and police are now under pressure to clarify whether officials involved in the tender were questioned, especially given the conflict with observations by the Auditor General and investigations into the contract’s management.
The government’s belated admission came after AKEL MP Irene Charalambides’s social media posts and a Sigmalive article revealed the EPPO’s investigation.
The Deputy Government Spokesman subsequently issued a statement confirming the investigation and emphasising the President’s commitment to accountability.
However, this raises further concerns, as the issue has been widely discussed in public and parliamentary committees for the past two years, with executive branch representatives failing to disclose the EPPO investigation.
The government is now urged to officially clarify whether it took action following the EPPO notification and whether the European Public Prosecutor and the European Audit Office are considering seeking the return of EU funds granted for the project.
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