Judging by what the communication representative of the Audit Service, Marios Petridis, stated yesterday on radio and television stations, the government should not expect that the report that the service will prepare after the ongoing investigation into the five naturalization files of executives of the company investing in the marina Ayia Napa will be even slightly more positive for itself, compared to what the special report on the Ministry of Tourism, which was published on Friday, contains. On the contrary, it is quite possible, through what Mr. Petridis said, that the report will be even more aggravating for the government.
Among other things, Mr. Petridis insisted in all his appearances that what was noted in the special report on irregularities or other problems for the specific naturalizations have been confirmed through the research carried out from Monday in the five files and the comments will be repeated. and in the new report.
In fact, Mr. Petridis said that now that they have the complete files for these cases, they are already looking for other possible irregularities and errors / omissions, since they have more information in their hands to compare them with the decisions of the Council of Ministers, the criteria, legislation, but also the regulations that came into force last August. The interventions of Mr. Petridis also gave the impression that the Audit Office believes that other irregularities or illegalities will be identified.
As we wrote in yesterday's edition, through the examination of the contents of the files is expected to clarify whether the Ministry of Interior had informed the Ministry of Finance that some of the 8 marina executives who applied to be naturalized did not meet the criteria, but nevertheless the Ministry of Interior insisted on their naturalization, for reasons of public interest, as it did. If it is confirmed that the Ministries of Interior and Finance, and consequently the Ministry, were aware by mail of the non-fulfillment of the criteria (or the regulations that were published a few days earlier) and insisted on the approval of an equal number of passports, the position of the government and specific executives or officials will become even more difficult, at least politically.
It also appears from the statements of the communication representative of the Audit Office that the audit of the five naturalizations, which is recalled, was promoted by the law firm Nikos Anastasiadis, at a time when the husband of one of the President's daughters was director of the company concerned. will be extended to other aspects, in order to show whether the regulations for due diligence were applied before the approval of naturalizations, the payment of the necessary fees and taxes, collection of other rights (contributions) by state bodies, etc.
