President Nikos Christodoulides on Wednesday said two independent criminal investigators will be appointed to shed light on national guardsman Thanasis Nicolaou’s case after an inquiry into his death ruled on Friday that he was killed by strangulation, and did not commit suicide, as it was previously established.
Christodoulides was speaking during a Council of Ministers session, where he stressed that his administration has been in contact with the guardsman’s family for the past months.
“We have been in contact with the family and offered them financial support,” he said. “Today, we will take the political decision of appointing two independent criminal investigators who will look into all the facts that took place in the past 19 years, from 2005 [when Nicolaou was found dead under a bridge in Alassa] to 2024.
“For 19 years, it seems that there were things that were not properly investigated.”
Christodoulides then pointed out that the decision to appoint the independent investigators should not be seen as though the government is taking a stand on the case.
“We do not take a position, we are not experts, and we cannot do that,” he said. “That is why today we are making the political decision to appoint two independent criminal investigators who will thoroughly look into the issue.”
On Monday, Savvas Matsas, who was appointed as an independent criminal investigator in the last assessment of the case but was removed after he went public with his findings that Nicolaou was murdered in a coverup, said “it is now time for the state to begin preparing criminal prosecutions against those involved in the killing of Nicolaou.”
The second issue addressed by Christodoulides during the Council of Ministers session concerned the efforts to restart negotiations, following UN Secretary-General personal envoy Maria Angela Holguin’s departure of Cyprus on Tuesday after unsuccessful talks with Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar.
Holguin on Monday said she would be preparing a report after her visit and meet UNSG Antonio Guterres in the coming days.
“Our number one priority is to restart negotiations,” Christodoulodes said.
“We responded to all invitations to initiate a dialogue, to see if this effort can lead us to restart negotiations.
“Unfortunately, there has been no response from the Turkish Cypriot side so far. Nevertheless, the effort continues, we must give diplomacy time.
“If there is political will, I am sure that negotiations can resume, and I am confident that there can be a positive outcome, always based on the agreed framework,” Christodoulides concluded.
