A senior aide to the Cypriot president, Charalambos Charalambous, has resigned due to a video that opposition figures claim shows high-level corruption in Cyprus. Charalambous, who oversaw investment processes for President Nikos Christodoulides, denied any wrongdoing but stepped down on Monday. The video, posted online, features discussions involving Charalambous and other officials about investing in Cyprus with people posing as business figures. This issue has overshadowed Cyprus’s recent assumption of the EU presidency.
The video’s authenticity is unclear, and Charalambous stated that his comments were taken out of context and exploited to question his integrity. In the video, he suggests directing funds to corporate social responsibility projects, with offers to help handle bureaucratic challenges. President Christodoulides emphasized his zero tolerance for corruption and rejected any accusations against him.
The police are looking into the video’s origins, while Charalambous’s wife, Philippa Karsera, also resigned, calling the situation a “merciless attack of false news. ” She criticized the claims as unfounded and offensive to her family. Lawmakers are worried about the transparency of a scholarship fund associated with her.
The video appears to have been secretly recorded, and it has sparked allegations of corruption, although no evidence has been provided. Opposition parties accused the government of ignoring corruption. Government sources noted the individuals in the video claimed to seek a 150-million-euro investment in energy projects, but their current status is unknown. Additionally, Cypriot authorities have sought help from the U. S., Israel, France, and Greece to trace the video’s origins.
With information from Reuters
