Insider
The decision of the disciplinary body of the bar association does not invalidate the findings of the Audit Service regarding the process of finding a strategic investor for Cyprus Airways.
What the announcement of the Audit states about the issue
In relation to publications concerning the Report of the Audit Office, date 26.1.2015, the following are clarified:
“In the Report of our Service, there was the following report regarding the meeting that took place on October 31, 2014, which was attended by the three-member Negotiation Committee, Cyprus Airways with its financial and legal advisors, and Ryanair as one of the interested investors:
“The meeting with Ryanair was attended by Mr. Sotiris Pittas, Lawyer of the law firm Soteris Pittas & Co LLC, as a legal advisor to Ryanair, accompanied by three other persons who appeared to be executives of his law firm and who registered their names. in the list of attendees as Pitta Maria, Nikolas Christakis and Maria Kom. Roussou.
Official figures from the Pancyprian Bar Association show that there are no lawyers named Nikolas Christakis and Maria Kom. Roussou but Christofinis Nikolas and Maria Komodromou. On the website of the law firm Nicos Chr. Anastasiades & Partners both look like employees in this office. Mr. Sotiris Pittas and Ms. Maria Pitta appear on the website of the law firm Soteris Pittas & Co LLC as employees of this office. “
Following the publication of our Report, the Disciplinary Board of the Pancyprian Bar Association decided, inter alia, that:
“As for how the names of the lawyers present at the meeting were recorded, the investigating person, after examining the explanations and the surrounding testimony, came to the reasonable conclusion that there was no attempt to conceal the real names of the lawyers under investigation or the office to which they belong. .
Nor did he find that any of those present were misled as to the identity or status of the lawyers and as to appearances for interested persons. “
This decision of the Disciplinary Board is fully respected and in any case concerns its members, and not a controlled body of our Service.
However, this decision does not negate the correctness and reasonableness of the conclusion that existed in our Report, that in the meeting of October 31, 2014, Mr. Pittas was accompanied by three other persons “who appeared to be executives of his lawyer. office ». In support of this, a copy of the attendee list provided to us by the General Accounting Office is attached. The data of third parties have been deleted “.
