THE GIOVANNI FILE OPENS - A COMPANY PRJECT IN THE COMMISSION

 Filenews 16 October 2020 - by Angelos Nikolaou, Michalis Hatzivasilis

Files of cases related to gold passports and property investments of individuals involved in the revealing video of the Al Jazeera network will be received by the Police, which at the same time strives to provide testimony to its contents.

Yesterday's efforts by the investigative team focused on identifying the persons who filmed the video so that it could form the basis for the initiation of investigations and interrogations. It is not out of the question that a letter should be sent to the network at its headquarters in Qatar and that the two persons who recorded the discussions with Syllouris, Giovanni and Pitatzis be asked to come to Cyprus to give a statement. If this does not happen, then it is not out of the question that Europol will be asked for help, and the matter will also be examined in the Legal Service to discuss ways to overcome the obstacle.

Information from the "F" indicates that investigators, in an attempt to investigate what emerges from the controversial conversations in the video, will go to the Ministry of interior in the next few days to receive all the investment files involved in the group of resigned MP Christakis Giovanis. As stated in 'F', these form part of the testimony without meaning that the cases where the former Member's group has been involved in investments are suspicious. As explained to us, the examinations will show how many cases the office was involved in, who the investors were and whether there are individuals included in the suspects being investigated or investigated.

Documents will also be received from the Office of the Registrar of Companies to show who is behind companies involved in investments. Further statements will also be taken by officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs involved in the investment programme to see whether persons involved in the video have been in contact with them and why.

However, yesterday's development, with the resignation of Dimitris Syllouris as Speaker of the House and also as a Member of Parliament, facilitates the work of the Police, in case it is deemed necessary to invite him for testimony or even for questioning. In other words, the Attorney General will not have to go to the Supreme Court and ask for his immunity to be waived.

Examinations are also continuing to identify the pair of British estate agents shown in the video to be mentioned in the investment programme and who can help them obtain gold passports.

Al Jazeera's Cyprus correspondent David Harrison has already been approached for help with the video, but he has asked for time to contact headquarters.

However, Police Chief Stylianos Papatheodorou, who was asked by "F" about the progress of the investigations, limited himself to stating that because this is a special case, this is why the Police's investigative team is in daily contact with the Legal Service.

Also, according to Police spokesman Christos Andreou, investigations are continuing at several levels and the three investigative teams set up are cooperating. The Chief of Police is constantly kept informed of the investigations, while the Assistant Chief of Operations is supervised. Mr Andreou stressed that there is no time horizon for the conclusion of investigations since this is a complex and difficult case and issues are constantly emerging for investigation.

Mokas intensifies

Intensifies the analysis and processing of reports of suspicious transactions related to the Cyprus Investment Programme, the Anti-Corruption Unit (MOKAS) after the latest events.

According to our information, in many cases information was provided by the Unit to the Ministry of the Interior for such cases. It is also noted that the report of the three-member Kalogirou Committee which examined certain cases of naturalized naturals, by decision of the Council of Ministers, was based, in large part, on information and data provided to that Commission by MOKAS.

Yesterday the Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission Dimitra Kalogirou, who was appointed to the Research Committee set up to examine the investment programme, reiterated that her investigation revealed criminal and disciplinary offences for which investigations are being carried out.

PUBLIC DECLARATION

Al Jazeera is incompatible

Al Jazeera investigative team journalist James Kleinfeld in a Tweet on the occasion of a report in Cyprus that persons in Cyprus tried to bribe them in order to stop their journalism, reassures the Cypriot people that they will never compromise and assures that Al Jazeera's journalism will remain independent.

However, he avoids mentioning in time when the new videos rumored to be owned by the network with other protagonists in provinces other than Famagusta are expected to be released.

Attorney General: Shame on the country

Clearly annoyed by what has been happening in recent days, the Attorney General George Savvides appeared at the General Assembly of the Cyprus Bar Association. What we have seen, regardless of their legal status, is a disgrace to the country, Mr Savvides said yesterday, commenting on recent events in relation to the Al Jazeera network revelations.

"Today's (yesterday's) General Assembly takes place in the shadow of recent events that have shaken institutions and values and created, rightly, indignation, anger and concern among citizens, as well as general obsolescence in the system. The challenges, both for us as heads of the Legal Service and for you as justice officers, are enormous," he said. These challenges, he added, should be dealt with with sobriety, caution and a sense of responsibility.

"I know," he said, that citizens expect a lot from the Attorney General. I deliberately chose to be sparing in my public attitudes, not only because the issues raised are of a delicate nature and of the utmost institutional importance, but also because all the facts are under investigation by the Police following my explicit instructions. "However, I cannot hide, as a citizen of this country, that what we have seen, regardless of their legal status, is a disgrace to our country and I will confine myself by saying only that it is certainly not this Cyprus that we deserve, that we dream of or that we want to leave a legacy to our children. And ladies and gentlemen, we all have a responsibility to do everything we can to reverse the diversion," observed Mr Savvides.

The Commission has reached the work of Giovanni's company

The resigning Speaker of the House, the former ACPL MP and his lawyer, as well as the executives of the Giovanni Group, were ready - as shown in the notorious video - to sell land to a Chinese fraudster located within and/or near two areas of particular ecological value, which have been integrated into the European network of Natura 2000 nature conservation areas, the Special Protection Zone (SPA) of Agia Thekla – Liopetri (CY3000009) and the Site of Community Importance (CSC) National Forest Park (SSP) Liopetri River (CY3000001). The stolen money from China would be invested with the blessings of all in an area of particular ecological value, for which the European Commission has already initiated infringement proceedings against the Republic of Cyprus.

The above refer to an open letter from the member of the Parallel Parliament on the Environment, Ecology-Sustainability and Health of Cleitos Papastylianou, sent yesterday to the former Speaker of the House, informing him that he intended to abstain from his duties until the submission of the resignation of Dimitris Syllouris from the highest office of the institution of parliament. The letter was communicated to all members of the Parallel House, by the investigator and activist informing them of his decision and urging them to reflect on the seriousness of the whole matter and to refrain collectively from their duties until the resignation of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Specifically, the "Suncity Spa Resort and Residences", a tourist resort (a 5-star hotel with a capacity of 203 rooms, with 44 tourist residences, and a tourist resort with 11 villas), which affects natura 2000 Agia Thekla – Liopetri CY3000009 (SPA since April 2008), is included in the Commission's letter of formal notice concerning projects for which no proper environmental impact assessment has been carried out.

In the Commission's letter of the day. 27/11/2019, it is noted that on the basis of a pre-audit, the environmental authority issued a positive opinion on 29 November 2016. The planning authority approved the project on 4/4/2017, although it was not confirmed that the project is unlikely to have a significant impact on the site 'in itself or in conjunction with other projects [or projects]', as required by Article 6(3) of Directive 92/43/EEC. In particular, the cumulative impact of the project (e.g. with the planned marina project in Ayia Napa or other beach interventions) were not considered at all.

It is also noted that, according to the management plan of the region (September 2016), "the main threats to the species and habitats of the region are the urban development within and at the borders of Natura 2000 sites and the construction of a marina in the area of Makronissos that will have a significant impact due to habitat loss as well as the creation of new beaches in areas that were previously rocky habitats". In addition, in the standard data form 'continuous urbanisation' is recorded as a high threat and pressure for Natura 2000.

Also, on 19/10/2018 the European Commission sent a letter to the competent authorities of the Republic in which it pointed out a few points in order to help the Cypriot authorities ensure full compliance with the procedure referred to in Article 6.4 of the Habitats Directive. In addition, it called for a review of the completeness of the compensatory measures taken, as well as the measures taken to restore the degraded SPEs of Agia Thekla and the SPA of Kavos Greco from illegal activities.

It is noted that the project belongs to the Jim Chang Giovani Holding Group founded by Chinese investors in Cyprus to create an integrated system of industrial services through the provision of hotels, real estate, tourism, education, real estate management and financial integration. Christakis Giovanis is also a shareholder and director of the Group. It is noted that Chinese investors invested €50m in the project. to finance the Sun City Hotel building. The project was due to be completed at the end of last year, but work has been terminated, as it is rumoured that the initially planned construction costs have already been significantly exceeded.

Loan of €3 million by two foreigners for Giovanni

He's lost count of the companies he's been involved in as a director.

Personal loan in excess of €3 million presents the position of the resigned MP Christakis Giovanis published in 2019.

The paradox in the whole affair is that this loan is not to a banking institution, but to private creditors, Demitov Victor and Demitova Nina. This loan is presented with exactly the same amount as in the Member's office in 2017.

Interesting is the large number of companies involved as a director, but also the fact that in the declaration of his assets the previous two times he seems to have forgotten to declare a number of companies in which he retains the position of director.

In total, on 8/6/2019 a director is presented to a total of 47 companies, investment and real estate development mainly, while a number of them are presented dormant. In the 2019 report, it states that it was not entered in the declaration of the day's data. 30/6/3017 his position as a director in a total of 13 companies. Five of them, which have been active for years, and another eight concerned start-ups and were appointed due to expertise as a director when they were set up.

The same picture was presented in the 2017 draft, where in total it is recorded to be presented in the position of director in 19 companies. Compared to the amount submitted on 5/5/2014, it is noted by Christakis Giovanis that his position as director of eight other companies had not been entered in the asset statement by way.

Furthermore, Mr. Giovanis declared fields in Paralimnis and residence and field in Acheritou either products of purchase or donation. It also presents assets in securities and securities and deposits in Bank of Cyprus, Hellenic and USB and has among other things two insurance policies (Eurolife Ins. com €4.2 million and Hellenic Alico Life €300 thousand) and debts from three loans, as well as other assets from possession of 23 shotguns of current value of €50,000. It does not seem to be a coincidence that one of his companies is called 'the big hunter'.