Christos Mylonopoulos resigns from the 'Mafia State' investigation team

Criminal investigator Christos Mylonopoulos has resigned from the five-member independent committee appointed by the Cyprus Council of Ministers to investigate findings related to the 'Mafia State' case. His resignation occurred one day after his appointment, following widespread public and legal criticism regarding a conflict of interest, as he had previously represented Michalis Zolotas in legal proceedings related to the Focus case. Although Mylonopoulos initially offered to recuse himself from the specific segment concerning the Focus case, critics including lawyer Christos Clerides argued that his past involvement compromised the impartiality and public perception of the entire committee. The investigation team is led by former President of the Court of Justice of the European Union, Vassilios Skouris, who will serve without remuneration, with members Sotiris Liasidis, Nicolas Koursaris, and Dimitris Tsolakidis. Despite the resignation, government officials stated that preparations for the investigation, including office space and staffing, are continuing as planned. The government maintains that all necessary safeguards were in place to ensure impartiality and that the committee's work will proceed without further delay.