The speaker of Cyprus’s parliament has resigned after allegedly abusing a scheme whereby rich foreigners can get hold of Cypriot passports in alternate for a big funding, however Demetris Syllouris insisted he broke no legal guidelines.
The home president determined to stop amid public stress, after an undercover video confirmed him allegedly providing to assist a Chinese language businessman with a felony file safe citizenship.
The speaker was secretly filmed by Al Jazeera speaking to a “fixer” representing a Chinese language businessman, and was proven promising to facilitate the passport utility.
Syllouris, 67, stated in a written assertion on Thursday he was resigning as home president and was giving up his seat in parliament, including, nonetheless, that he had not damaged any legal guidelines.
A lawmaker for 28 years and the speaker since 2011, he had already determined to abstain from his duties pending a police probe and had agreed to waive parliamentary immunity, if vital, after the video emerged on October 12.
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Cyprus to abolish cash-for-citizenship scheme after probe alleges passports have been provided to convicted criminals
On Tuesday, the island nation stated it could abolish its Citizenship by Funding scheme from November 1, after Al Jazeera revealed an undercover investigation that it claims paperwork how this system was tormented by corruption.
The ruling Democratic Rally celebration, referred to as DISY, welcomed Syllouris’s resignation, saying the transfer would contribute to the graceful operation of parliament, whereas additionally “restoring its credibility and safeguarding the sense of justice.”
One other MP, developer Christakis Giovanis, who was additionally featured in Al Jazeera’s video, resigned earlier.
Dozens of demonstrators gathered on Tuesday exterior parliament to demand Syllouris resign. They held placards with slogans corresponding to “Cyprus doesn’t belong to you to promote.”
Demonstrators name for Home president Syllouris to resign https://t.co/W5tb760Pxy
