The assessments expressed by the European Advocate General, Laura Kövesi, are not in line with the data we have, the Attorney General of the Republic, George Savvidis, states in a written statement in relation to yesterday's reports of Mrs. Kövesi before the Committee on Civil Liberties. , Justice and Home Affairs of the European Parliament.
“Ms. Kövesi's assessment, at least as reported, that despite her admission that in previous years the cases of the Republic of Cyprus covered by the scope of the Regulation were minimal, however in the future they are expected to be so high that they may reach 10% of the approximately 3000 cases that she expects her Office to examine every year, do not seem to be in line with the data we have in our possession “, notes Mr. Savvidis
He adds that in an investigation carried out by the Legal Service with the competent police authorities in 2019, which was sent to Ms. Kövesi, and which covers the period from 2016 to 2019, the criminal acts which were examined by the Cypriot police authorities and which would fall into the category of offenses investigated by the European Public Prosecutor's Office, never exceeded 4 cases per year.
It also states that due to this large difference in the above assessment, in his letters to both the European Commissioner for Justice Mr Reynders and the European Advocate General Kövesi, he reiterated the above findings and asked Ms Kövesi to provide him with the evidence on which it was based to reach its conclusion yesterday.
In his written statement he notes that Cyprus has been an ardent supporter of the establishment of the European Public Prosecutor's Office from the very beginning and for this reason has chosen to participate, on its own initiative, in this institution, which aims to handle crimes affecting financial interests of the European Union.
He adds that the Legal Service of the Republic has taken all the necessary measures in order to be able to implement the above Regulation. Cyprus nominated a representative to the College of European Prosecutors, prepared a relevant implementing bill of the Rules of Procedure passed by law in the House of Representatives and the Legal Service is ready to proceed to suggest the names of its Cypriot officials issues covered by the Regulation.
It also states that it is in constant contact with the European Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, and has repeatedly briefed Ms Kövesi on the positions of the Legal Service, which are fully in line with the provisions of the Rules of Procedure and the legislation passed by it. Cypriot Parliament.
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