Letters confirming the active involvement of the former Speaker of Parliament Dimitris Syllouris in the business with the “golden” passports were revealed yesterday during the meetings of the investigative committee, with the general director of the Parliament Socrates Socrates declaring complete ignorance about him. These are two letters, one of 2018 and the other of 2019, which the member of the Research Committee Dimitra Kalogirou brought to the attention of Mr. Socrates. Inviting him, at the same time, to comment on them after his report that he and the Parliament never accepted any intervention regarding the exceptional naturalizations granted through the Cyprus Investment Program (KEP). In fact, Ms. Kalogirou was specifically asked whether letters were sent to Parliament in relation to the “golden” passports, with Mr. Socrates being categorical: We have never received such letters. Then Mrs. Kalogirou presented the two letters: The first letter was sent from a provider's office to Mr. Syllouris and concerned the naturalization of a Ukrainian investor. This naturalization is considered high risk and is under the microscope of the investigative committee to determine whether criminal or disciplinary offenses arise at first sight. That is why in her reference to the letter in question, Ms. Kalogirou was very sparing. As he said, the provider, ie the office that undertook the promotion of the application, asked Dimitris Syllouris for his mediation to change the criteria in order to facilitate his client. Mr. Socrates was caught with hexapine. “No, I did not have any information,” he said.
Ms. Kalogirou then revealed a second letter, which concerned other exceptional naturalizations of investors. The letter in question was signed by the head of the KEP unit of the Ministry of Interior, Christina Kaoulla, in which she informed the recipient of the letter that “they keep asking to learn from the Parliament”. Without making any reference to names and in which case or cases Mrs. Kaoulla was referring, the disputed letter was given to Mr. Socrates to read and comment on it. Again he expressed ignorance. “I have not heard, I have not seen and I do not know,” he said verbatim.
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