The accused in the criminal case responded on Wednesday with non-admission to the charges against him, Andreas Pittatzis, a defendant in the criminal case against the accused, which concerns a report by a journalistic network and events in the context of the exceptional naturalization of foreign investors and businessmen, while the court decided to postpone the proceedings for the remaining three defendants in the case, after their defense lawyers raised pre-trial objections.
The defendants in the case are the former President of the House of Representatives, Dimitris Sylouris, the former AKEL MP, Christakis Tziovanis, the lawyer, Andreas Pittatzis and one of the managers of Mr Tziovanis' company, Antonis Antoniou.
In particular, in the context of today's proceedings before the Nicosia Permanent Court of Cassation, the lawyer for the defence of Dimitris Syllouris, Chris Triantaphyllides, raised preliminary objections, which were also adopted by the lawyer for Christakis Tziovanis and Antonis Antoniou, George Papaioannou.
The proceedings for the three were resumed on 11 January 2023, so that the prosecution could respond to the pre-trial objections, while for Andreas Pittatzis the case was set for a hearing on 8 and 9 March 2023.
He did not admit to the 5 charges
Andreas Pittatzis, who did not admit to the five charges brought against him by the prosecution, is charged with offences of conspiracy to defraud the Republic and influencing a public official in violation of the law ratifying the Council of Europe Convention on the Criminalisation of Corruption.
It is noted that Dimitris Syllouris, Christakis Tziovanis and Antonis Antoniou are also facing the same charges.
The defendants will be present at the next hearing under the same conditions as imposed on September 12 by the Nicosia District Court, in order to ensure their presence at the trial. On 11 January, the reply to the pre-trial objections
At the beginning of the proceedings, the defence lawyer of Dimitris Syllouris, Chris Triantaphyllides, raised the issue of abuse of process.
According to him, the abuse consists in relation to counts 1, 2, 3 with the involvement of the state at the level of the Council of Ministers, with the participation of the Attorney General and Assistant Attorney General, in the shaping of events, for which his client is accused.
Also, Mr. Triantafyllidis said that the abuse consists in relation to counts 4 and 5, concerning the involvement of a foreigner, who, he added, "is a non-existent person."
He referred to "the existence of illegality consisting in the violation of the constitutional right, based on article 15 of the constitution" of Dimitris Syllouris.
In addition, Mr. Triandafyllidis prepared seven points, asking for admissible facts to form the basis of his submission.
In submitting the seven points before the court, Mr. Triantaphyllides referred to the Attorney General of the Republic, who said that in his capacity at the material time, as a member of the Council of Ministers, he decided positively with regard to the exceptional naturalisation as a Cypriot citizen of one foreigner and one foreigner referred to in the charges, having before him in both cases the views and recommendations of the competent authorities of the Republic of Cyprus.
Furthermore, he referred to the alien referred to in the specific charges as being a "non-existent person" and that no application was submitted or pending at any time before the authorities of the Republic of Cyprus, in relation to that alien, for the purpose of his exceptional naturalisation as a Cypriot citizen.
He also referred to the journalists from a foreign media network, who entered at the material time the home of Christakis Tziovanis, without disclosing their journalistic status, pretending that they were investigating the possibility of naturalising as a Cypriot citizen the person referred to in the allegations, who is a Cypriot citizen, The journalist also noted the video and audio recording of Dimitris Syllouris by the journalists of the network in question, at the residence of Christakis Tziovanis, without his knowledge and consent.
Moreover, the pre-trial objections were also adopted by George Papaioannou, defence counsel for Christakis Tziovanis and Antonis Antoniou, saying that charges 1, 3 and 5 "lack legal basis".
He even argued that there is a problem in advancing the charge, which refers to a "non-existent person."
The representative of the prosecution, Elli Papagapiou, requested time from the court to consider the pre-trial objections and respond to the points made by Mr. Triantafyllidis, with the court resetting the hearing for January 11, 2023, at 09:00.
Pittatzis did not adopt the preliminary objections
For his part, Andreas Pittatzis, who is representing himself, said that although he respects the positions of his colleagues and will not raise any objections, he will not adopt any position.
He added that he is not seeking acquittal, but vindication, to note that "in the temple of justice we must all be heard."
He added that he wants to know "whether the entry of this case in chords and organs was made in the conscience of justice or to please the Colosseum."
Subsequently, he pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, with a trial date set for March 8 and 9, 2023, at 09:00.
Source: CNA
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