Police on Friday had no comment on reports that former President Nicos Anastasiades has held on to two pistols that may be owned by the state.
The issue emerged from an audit office report on the police published on Thursday, wherein it said that it had asked to be provided with information by police on individuals that have been given licences to own a firearm.
In Cyprus, people are allowed to own guns only if the police and cabinet approve the matter.
After the report was published, it emerged in Philenews that the former President owned two pistols, one licenced to him in 2004 and one that had been given as a gift to from King Abdullah II of Jordan in 2018.
Although the report did not name Anastasiades, the audit office said that when they have asked for names of the individuals that have guns, police have repeatedly denied, most recently in September 2023.
Police, according to the audit office, have said that they can only provide the registration number of the firearms, but not the names of the individuals who have been pegged to be people in the public sphere.
“Due to the seriousness of the matter of the obstruction of our office’s audit on the assets of the Republic, as well as indications of abuse of power concerning a specific case of granting two pistols to the same person, we informed the anti-corruption authority in our letter dated 28/9/2023, which we also communicated to the office of the president of the Republic,” the report said.
Regarding the first instance in which Anastasiades was given a gun, according to Philenews it occurred back in April 2004. The security committee of the police gave the green light in an application he filed to be able to hold a firearm, after a threat had been made on his life and that of his family earlier in that year.
Anastasiades was granted access to owning a firearm and he received a USP 9mm and 25 rounds. However, as is done in most cases with firearms licences, the former president was not given a time limit for which he could hold on to the pistol.
The second instance during wich Anastasiades received a gun was when he was President and the King of Jordan in 2018 gifted him a JAWS 9mm.
The issue with the latter, as per the audit office report, is that it was given to Anastasiades under his title of President of the Republic, which makes it state property and not personal property.
Anastasiades has kept mum about the issue when asked to comment on the guns.
Asked to comment on the matter on Friday, police spokesman Christos Andreou said that he personally did not know anything about the matter, as it is confidential.
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