Government claims that there was no post-election contact between President Christodoulides and Cyfield CEO Yiorgos Chrysochos are inaccurate, Fact Check Cyprus says, pointing to visual material of an energy related meeting, which shows the President speaking to Chrysochos.
The Presidential Palace has claimed, according to Fact Check, that the last contact Christodoulides and Chrysochos had was a post-election congratulatory text which the President did not respond to. There was no further communication.
Fact Check Conclusion: The reference to no further contact or communication is refuted by official government evidence. Despite the categorical denial by the deputy spokesperson, Mr.Chrysochos took part in an energy meeting chaired by President Christodoulides at the Presidential Palace.
Chrysochos heavily features in the Videogate scandal, the leaking of an eight minute clip, alluding to illegal government funding which caused political furore, as the CEO describes his close relationship with President Christodoulides and referring to regular private meetings every two weeks.
References to an open line of communication with the President and alluding to relevant funding, forced the government into immediate reaction, refuting any form of post-election contact and maintaining its distance from the businessman.
On January 9th, deputy government spokesperson Victoras Papadopoulos, as Fact Check Cyprus states, appearing on Alpha TV's noon current affairs programme, was asked to comment on the Christodoulides-Chrysochos relationship.
Papadopoulos claimed that the last contact between the two was a congratulatory text sent by Chrysochos to the President's mobile phone on February 12th 2023. The message went unanswered, the deputy government spokesperson added.
To the anchor's insistent questions, Papadopoulos categorically denied any other communication.
What we know
As Fact Check indicates, the government denial is in direct conflict with has been published on the official government webpage gov.cy and pertaining to a function held at the Presidential Palace.
On July 27th 2024, more than a year following the election, President Christodoulides called an energy related meeting, with Chrysochos taking part in his capacity as President of the Electricity Market Association Executive Board, representing private electricity producers and suppliers. His attendance was necessary, due to the Association's role in framing energy policy.
As clearly indicated in the visual material, Fact Check says, Chrysochos is sitting at the same table with Christodoulides, now former energy minister Papanastasiou and other officials.
Fact Check Cyprus Conclusion: The reference to no other contact or communication between President Christodoulides and Chrysochos is refuted by official government evidence as he took part in a meeting at the Presidential Palace.