The Cypriot President pledged today that not even his own family will be immune from a commission of inquiry into allegations of wrongdoing in the run-up to a crippling Euro-zone bailout.
President Nicos Anastasiades was responding to allegations traded between the pro-government and opposition press that family members of leading politicians had taken advantage of privileged information to protect their assets from the swingeing hit on bank deposits imposed by international creditors last month.
Anastasiades said that the panel, which is to start its work tomorrow, would have explicit terms of reference to exclude nobody from their investigations, even his own extended family.
"I want to emphasise that during tomorrow's swearing in ceremony for the three distinguished judges, they be given a mandate to investigate everything that is possibly related to me, including those relatives linked to me by marriage," he said.
The massive losses suffered by savers in the island's two largest banks in the first Euro zone rescue package to punish larger depositors has sparked huge resentment against anybody seen as having taken unfair advantage to shirk their share of the burden.
Allegations have swirled of big movements of cash out of both banks in the run-up to the bailout agreement as those in the know scrambled to protect their money.
The panel, which has three months to report its findings, will also probe a list published by Greek media of Cypriot politicians who allegedly had loans forgiven during the meltdown, Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou said last week.
Casinos & tax breaks
Anastasiades also said his country plans to lift a ban on casinos and offer firms tax exemptions on profits reinvested on the island nation under a package of reforms to kickstart its ailing economy.
