Anastasiades: No intention to penalise political life

Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades said on Wednesday that the government neither intends nor aims at penalising political life, noting at the same time that no one enjoys immunity with respect to the investigations into the circumstances that have led economic hardship.

Speaking at the Presidential Palace during the swearing-in ceremony of the new member of the Investigation Committee on the responsibilities for the Republic of Cyprus' economic situation Eliana Nicolaou, who substituted Panagiotis Kallis who resigned on Monday from the Committee, Anastasiades noted that "any criminal responsibilities that may emerge lie within the responsibility of the independent judiciary and not the government."

Addressing Nicolaou, Anastasiades said that the government has provided the Investigation Committee with very broad terms of reference and added: "it is your sole responsibility to fulfill your mandate based on sound judgment, ethics and your career and experience," noting that Nicolaou as well as the President of the Committee George Pikis and the member of the Committee Andreas Kramvis are highly regarded in the Cypriot society. (CNA)