‘Does AG’s office want to muzzle MPs?’

Akel MP Irini Charalambidou on Tuesday slammed the attorney-general’s office for its handling of the prosecution of former Volunteerism Commissioner Yiannakis Yiannaki, accused of forging his academic qualifications.

In a statement, the MP referred to the stance of the state’s attorney in the latest court hearing in the case. She said the remarks in court appear to question the right of parliamentarians to engage in criticism of judicial authorities or law enforcement.

Charalambidou was alluding to earlier comments by fellow Akel MP Christos Christofides. Speaking during a House plenary session on March 14, Christofides mentioned the case of Yiannaki, complaining about how the case is dragging on without result. He hinted that an effort might be underway to whitewash the scandal, by kicking the can down the road until Yiannaki reaches retirement age and then becomes eligible for a full pension.

In court on May 31, the state’s attorney appeared to agree that these remarks were inappropriate and that they raised “serious questions”. Defending her colleague Christofides, Charalambidou asked whether the attorney-general’s office would like to muzzle MPs.

During that same court hearing, Yiannaki’s defence attorney sought to file a pre-trial motion, citing precisely the remarks made by Christofides. The defence argued that the comments were prejudicial to Yiannaki and could even be construed as interfering with court proceedings.

However, the court dismissed the motion, pointing out that it is not its job to investigate possible interference with court proceedings. It was up to the police to investigate.

At any rate, it’s understood that MPs have immunity for remarks they make on the House floor.

But the episode served to highlight how the case has proceeded at snail’s pace. At the same hearing the judge also harangued both sides for quibbling on side issues that did not allow the case to move on to the stage of the trial proper.

“For a year now I have been trying to hear pre-trial matters, you have filed a cascade of motions,” the frustrated judge told the litigants.

The case first came to light in May 2021, but charges were filed a year later, in June 2022. Two years on, the trial proper has yet to begin.

Yiannaki faces eight counts in total on two charges – forgery and circulating a forged document. He has pleaded not guilty.

Specifically, he is alleged to have tampered with both his high school diploma and his university degree.

He filed these when applying for a job at the Youth Board of Cyprus, where he was first appointed in 1996, securing a permanent job in 2007. He was subsequently appointed Volunteerism Commissioner in May 2013.