The Council of Ministers has approved six new proposals to strip 28 individuals of Cypriot citizenship, all of whom had been naturalised under the disgraced Citizenship-by-Investment programme, also known as the “Golden Passport” scheme, which was “definitively and irrevocably terminated” in November 2020.
According to the Ministry of Interior, these latest decisions bring the total number of decisions to revoke Cypriot citizenship under President Nikos Christodoulides’ administration to 41, affecting 150 people; 41 investors and 109 of their family members.
During the same period, the Council issued formal Deprivation Orders for 69 individuals whose cases were initially decided between 2021 and 2023. The revocation process has also been fully completed for 15 people, including five investors and ten dependants.
Since the end of the scheme, the government has moved to revoke the citizenship of 360 individuals in total, comprising 101 investors and 259 relatives. Of these, 112 cases have been finalised, with passports and related documents annulled.
(Regular readers will recall that in 2021, a report into the scandal led by former Supreme Court judge Myron Nikolatos revealed that more than half of the 3,000 citizenships granted between 2007 and August 2020 under the “Golden Passport” scheme were unlawful.)
Government officials stressed that the ongoing revocations form part of a wider strategy to enhance transparency, combat corruption and restore Cyprus’ international reputation. The government, in cooperation with the Attorney General’s office, is finalising amendments to the Civil Registry Law to align with European Commission recommendations and prevent a repeat of past practices.
“This is a significant reform that strengthens transparency, restores trust in the Republic, and sends a clear message that Cyprus is moving forward with modern European principles and values,” the Ministry’s statement said.
Trial of former officials
Meanwhile, two senior politicians implicated in the “Golden Passport” scandal appeared in court on Thursday to plead not guilty.
Former House Speaker Dimitris Syllouris and former MP Christakis Giovanis, both defendants in the naturalisation case, denied charges linked to the scheme at the Nicosia Permanent Criminal Court.
In a brief statement, Syllouris insisted he had “never acted illegally” and “never intended to,” declaring himself innocent of all accusations. He said the case had unfairly caused “enormous problems” for him and his family. His lawyer noted that detailed arguments would not be presented at this stage.
Giovanis also rejected any wrongdoing, claiming that documents tied to the naturalisation of Russian national Nikolai Gornovsky were prepared or requested by his lawyer, Andreas Pittadjis. “I never thought or believed there was anything reprehensible, nor did I do anything reprehensible,” he told the court.
The trial continues.