Cyprus anti-corruption watchdog refers former president to prosecutors for alleged ‘abuse of power’

Cyprus' Independent Anti-Corruption Authority has referred former President Nicos Anastasiades to prosecutors over alleged abuse of power, including influencing investigations into political payments, intervening in a Russian oligarch’s citizenship application, and obstructing an anti-money laundering probe. The referral stems from a 2022 book by Makarios Drousiotis, a former aide turned investigative journalist, and follows a two-year investigation involving witness interviews and a 16,000-word summary of findings. Anastasiades denies wrongdoing.