We are not here to protect anyone, if anyone, who violates the sanctions, President of the Republic Nicos Christodoulides said today.
In his statements to journalists, coming to the Annual General Assembly of the OEB, the President of the Republic, asked about the meeting he had earlier at the Presidential Palace on sanctions, said "we had the opportunity to exchange views with both the Cyprus Bar Association and the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Association of Accountants. We all agree that we will not allow anyone to tarnish the name of our country."
So, we should use this opportunity, we should see this as an opportunity so that we can get this issue over with once and for all. The state and the government and the private sector have suffered enough from this kind of situation. So, we are ready, as soon as we have all the evidence before us, to do whatever is necessary, with the sole aim of what I mentioned to you."
Asked if there will be more names of persons, the President of the Republic said "let us be patient. I believe there will be new listings either on the part of the US, Britain or the EU. I repeat, whatever needs to be done will be done. It is an issue that we have to be done with."
To a reporter's remark that while steps have been taken on the part of the state, yet we are being dragged down by sanctions, the President said "too much has been done. More will be done and more must be done so that there are no such phenomena. It does no honour to any of us every now and then to have such developments or to see publications against our country. It is a negative thing for the government, it is a negative thing for the state, it is a negative thing for the private sector, it is a negative thing for the citizens.
We have nothing to fear. Any information will be put before us, we will investigate it, we have absolutely nothing to hide and this is our approach."
Asked to say whether there was consultation with the US as the President of the Cyprus Bar Association had questioned, the President of the Republic said "no, of course not. Is there any consultation or consultation on the decisions of a foreign government?
And we had the opportunity to discuss today both with Mr. Clerides and with the representatives of the other supervisory authorities and there is no issue. We are on the same line.
I repeat, it is an opportunity. We have nothing to fear. We are not here to protect anybody, if anybody, who violates the sanctions and we should not worry about this particular issue.
I agree that important steps have been taken. What we are aiming at is to end this kind of situation."
In response to a reporter's remark that the banks did the right thing in applying the sanctions, the President said "the banks are moving on the basis of their own framework. We need, it is important, to safeguard this sector as well. I am sure everyone understands the importance of the banking sector in particular, given what we shouldered as a country a few years earlier."
(PM/MB/SX)
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