Investigations into the contracts of the Nicosia Sewerage Council (SAL) started in 2015 ex officio by the Audit Office, following what had preceded the Paphos Sewerage Council.
By Alexia Kafetzis
From the investigation carried out in 3 contracts of SAL at the beginning of 2015, the Audit Service – according to valid information of “24” – found, among other things, the following:
(i) Contracts no. GN 1/2003, GN 2/2003 and 9-1- 05
The contractor was the Company “A / foi Iakovou” and the total amount of the two contracts amounted to £ 2.32 million.
The Contractor's claims amounted to £ 885,000 in total, while the Project Engineer (Private Consulting Engineer) who evaluated them, considered that the payment of an amount of £ 250,000 in total was justified. This amount was paid immediately to the Contractor, although in such cases, the payment of any amount is made on the condition that the Contractor will accept the said amount as a complete and complete settlement of his claims. Subsequently, the SAL decided to pay to the Contractor, at the suggestion of the Project Manager Mr. Char. Palantzis, approximately ½ of the amount of the remaining difference (£ 885,000- £ 250,000 = £ 635,000: 2) ie £ 265,000. In a handwritten note of Mrs. Eleni Mavrou, then President of SAL and Mayor of Nicosia, it is stated that she agrees with the proposal and the matter was referred to the ad-hoc committee of SAL which, on the proposal of Mr. Andreas Konstantinos (Municipal Councilor of DIKO) approved the amount of £ 270,000. That is, they also gave a “tip” of £ 5,000 extra from the pocket of the citizens of SAL.
It is noted that the SAL had decided and appointed an ad-hoc committee for faster and more flexible examination of the requirements of the Contractors. This committee consisted of the following:
- Apostolos Koulouroudias (AKEL) – Chairman of the Committee
- Antonis Koutalianos (EDEK) – Member
- Nikos Nouris (DISY) – Member
- Andreas Konstantinou (DIKO) – Member
The role of this Committee was essential and decisive, since after its own approval of the amounts proposed, the Plenary Session of the SAL formally ratified its decisions / suggestions.
The above committee, during the period 2008 to 2011 had approved the amicable settlement of the two above contracts, as well as the contract of the company NEMESIS CONTRACTING with no.9-1-05. The amount of this contract was £ 740,000 and the receivables of the Contractor amounted to £ 320,000 plus interest. Finally, following a suggestion by Andreas Konstantinos (DIKO), the amount of £ 290,000 was paid. The Court of Audit – according to valid information of “24” – described this settlement as particularly burdensome for SAL, taking into account that the Project Management Team (technocrats) suggested the amount of £ 160,000.
The above are mentioned as typical examples of the findings of the Audit Office.
The findings of the Audit Office were submitted to the Attorney General of the Republic, who decided to order the Chief of Police to conduct a criminal investigation.
As part of this research that started around mid-2015, accounts were opened for more than 10 individuals and their families and / or companies, dozens of deposits were received and data collection from their bank accounts began. However, even though the Police had the decrees in their hands for 2. Years, however, they did not manage to complete the collection of data for most of them. The collection of data by the Police was done with the dropper, and this made the work of the Audit Office unimaginably difficult, which had offered to help analyze and evaluate the financial data collected by the Police, providing three people who were constantly working on its investigation. Police for the SAL.
According to our reliable information, shocking data have been found, such as:
- Double-digit number of checks given to Antonis Koutalianos, by the contractor of Anthoupolis Station, Mr. Kon. Votsi.
- Cash € 1 million deposited in the accounts of the Project Manager Mr. Char. Palantzis. These amounts are in addition to his salary which amounted to € 100,000 per year.
- Exchange of checks between the Contractors.
- Contractors' checks to Mr. Char. Palantzis and / or the Company of ABCY ENVIROTECH LTD and / or his wife, and / or son Mr. Poly Polyntzis as well as their companies.
- Unjustified increase of the real estate of the former Director of Technical Audit of the Audit Service Mr. Thassos Neokleous, as well as the cash he had in his accounts. This particular one even had deposits abroad (channel Islands) amounting to approximately £ 60,000. Mr. Th. Neokleous was the person in charge of controlling the contracts of SAL, and the person whose name was mentioned in the investigations of the Paphos Sewerage Council, that while he was accused of the suspicious actions of the Contractors, he had not taken any action. energy.
- Checks to Mr. Ap. Koulouroudias from the same Contractor.
- Large cash deposits of Mr. Poly Palantzis (son of Char. Palantzis)
- Huge deposits of Mr. Th. Neokleous and members of his family that are not justified by their income.
- The son of Char. Palantzi, Polys, was working at that time for the Contractors of SAL, NEMESIS, CYFIELD and WTE (owned by Mr. Votsis).
And while according to our information, the findings so far are shocking, recently the light of publicity came information from the Police, that no criminal offenses are evidenced.
Apart from the fact that the decision on whether criminal – or not – offenses are substantiated belongs to the Attorney General, we wonder how this view of the Police came about, at a time when:
She has not completed her research and collection of data from the bank accounts of individuals / companies for whom she has secured court orders for 3 years.
Only the four members of the ad-hoc committee were asked to open the bank accounts of three. It should be reminded that in the case of Mr. Sarikas (EDEK) decrees were requested and the investigation proceeded which resulted in his conviction.
For Mr. A. Konstantinou (DIKO), member of the ad-hoc Committee, no data have been collected to date.
The investigations for Mr. Th. Neokleous have not been completed.
In view of the above, we consider that the police investigation that has been carried out for about four years, was carried out at a tortoise pace, was flawed and at the same time incomplete. We wonder how the Attorney General will decide with the incomplete and incomplete data that the Police has managed to collect so far. In fact, we have reasonable questions as to when this information was chosen to be leaked to the media. Possibly to prejudge public opinion?
Indicatively, it should be noted that the person in charge of the Police investigations, 1 μετά year after the beginning of the investigations, was transferred to the Port Police (why?) And then he was promoted. It took his replacement a few months to get informed about the investigations, but they continued at the same slow and fragmentary pace, giving the impression that he was gnawing at time to take things in stride.
In view of the above, we will wait for the actions of the Attorney General, whom we call to stand up for – as he has been accustomed to until today – and not be seduced by the attempt of the Police to cover up this huge scandal in which persons and / or political parties.
It should be reminded that Mr. N. Nouris is currently Minister of Interior. Mr. A. Koutalianos (another member of the ad-hoc committee) was then Director of the Office of the Speaker of Parliament Mr. Homer. The Contractor Mr. K. Votsis, who generously distributed checks to everyone, is the first cousin of the Mayor of Nicosia, Konstantinos Giorkatzis.
The said Contractor has financed two political parties, since as we have been informed, his checks to the specific parties are held by the Police, which, however, lets it be leaked that no criminal offenses are substantiated. That is, what other information does the Police need to proceed with arrests and / or registration of indictments, if the transactions of the above individuals / companies constitute criminal offenses, taking into account that such transactions are not allowed – for any reason – by law ( of Public Organizations with Contractors executing contracts of these Organizations).
