Cyprus: Director of President Christodoulides’ Office resigns after bribery video

Charalambous announced his resignation from the position of Director of the Office of the President of the Republic after the video surfaced.
In a post on social media, he states that he fully supports Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and speaks of a targeted attempt to destabilise and damage the Republic of Cyprus, stressing that “I will not accept any shadow over my integrity.”

His full statement reads:

“From the very first moment, I believed in and stood by the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, in our joint effort to upgrade our homeland and to strengthen, with planning and seriousness, all the pillars of power of the Republic of Cyprus. I was never a person of political ambition, nor did I seek a state or any other office. My participation in the Government was not an end in itself, but a conscious choice of service, as a contribution to an ambitious governance programme aimed at strengthening our country, safeguarding institutions and advancing our society.

In recent days, there has been an orchestrated effort to personally target the President of the Republic, to cast doubt on the Government and to harm the image of our country. My own involvement, through deliberate distortions, selective excerpts and references taken out of context, leading to misleading conclusions, is being exploited without any intention of a sober reading of the real facts, as these will emerge through the lawful procedures. This approach undermines not only individuals but also the very trust we must protect in our institutions. For this reason, I gave testimony yesterday, stating the truth, which I have always served, and the real context of the selectively presented references attributed to me.

Under no circumstances will I accept even the slightest shadow being cast over my integrity or my sincere intention to serve my country. Even more so, I will not allow my presence in the Government to be turned into a tool of exploitation aimed at harming the Republic of Cyprus or the President of the Republic. For this reason, I have submitted my resignation from the position of Director of the Office of the President of the Republic. For me, the primary duty is the protection of the country, the Government and the President of the Republic. At a time when our homeland needs stability, credibility and clear political discourse, I choose, for reasons of transparency, to resign so that my presence is not further instrumentalised against our national aspirations and our collective effort.

All institutions of the Republic must act to restore the truth, which will reveal the malicious intent of those orchestrating this attack.

Personally, I depart with a sense of pride for what has been achieved over the past three years, as a result of the hard, intensive and systematic work of the President and the Government. I firmly believe that this course will continue, that our country will remain steadfastly committed to its principles, will strengthen its position internationally and will progress for the benefit of citizens and our national goals. And that, for me, is what truly matters: Cyprus above everyone and everything.”

The video that has triggered a political “earthquake” in Cyprus

The video containing dialogues about bribes, which circulated on the platform X and was reproduced by Cypriot media, has sparked serious reactions surrounding Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.

The footage raises clear insinuations of entanglement and corruption, linking the President to business and energy interests.

Central figures in the case include Charalambos Charalambous, the former Director of the President’s Office and son-in-law of Christodoulides, who is considered the President’s “trusted aide” and has held a pivotal role since the start of the administration.

Another key figure is Giorgos Lakkotrypis, former Minister of Energy, who maintains close ties with the Christodoulides circle, despite having served in the Anastasiades government.

The controversial video reveals claims of improper interventions in matters related to the energy sector, as well as the allocation of state resources and licensing. The case is linked to investigations being conducted by the Anti-Corruption Authority into figures from both the current and the previous government.