The office of the Attorney General said on Monday that only 3 out of 515 investigations on fraud/corruption cases affecting the financial interests of the EU, conducted by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), concern Cyprus. A relevant announcement says that the Attorney General’s position, who called into question an EPPO estimate of cases in Cyprus amounting up to 10% of total cases, is vindicated.
According to the EPPO Annual Report for 2021, which was released recently, there are three cases of fraud affecting the financial interests of the EU under investigation related to Cyprus. Two other EU countries have a smaller number of cases, as there are no cases under investigation for Malta and there is one case for Luxemburg. There are three cases under investigation for Slovenia, too.
In a statement by the office of the Attorney General regarding the 2021 EPPO report, released on Monday, it is noted that the findings reveal a “complete vindication for the Attorney General of the Republic” with the data confirming the statement made in January 2021, by the Attorney General, that “the offences that have been investigated by the Cyprus Police, and which would fall under the jurisdiction of the EPPO, would never exceed 4 per year.”
The Attorney General was responding then to EPPO statements, that number of cases concerning the Republic of Cyprus were expected to be particularly high, possibly amounting to 10% of the total cases under EPPO investigation. According to the 2021 report, in a total of 515 cases, Cyprus holds a 0.58% (three cases). Also, in a total of €5.4 billion of estimated financial loss, as a consequence of fraud, the total loss related to cases concerning the Republic of Cyprus amounts to €1.5 million (0.28%).
Source: Cyprus News agency